LINCOLN HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Four people were treated at University of Cincinnati Medical Center after about 100 rounds were fired in a "gun battle" between two groups of people in Lincoln Heights Sunday, authorities said.
Hamilton County Sheriff's deputies were called to two crime scenes at about 1:30 p.m., one on Adams Street and the other a block over, on Jackson Street.
Lincoln Heights residents Christopher Kinsey, 26; Andre Gilbert, 28; and Joseph Ford, 50, and a 17-year-old boy received non-life-threatening injuries during the incident, Hamilton County Sheriff's Lt. Barbara Stuckey said.
Two arrests have been made in this case, including Kinsey. He was charged with one count of having weapons under disability for possession of a firearm after prior felony convictions, and receiving stolen property, specifically, an AR-15 rifle.
Abdullah Luqman, 48, of Lincoln Heights, was charged with two counts of receiving stolen property, specifically, two handguns.
Neither man has been charged with firing any shots; investigators are examining shell casings to determine if the AR-15 rifle or two handguns were used in the fight.
Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Neil said he wants to put more deputies in the area -- if he can get the money for it. His budget for next year, if approved by county commissioners, would add six corporals to the district that includes Lincoln Heights.
"A hundred shell casings, that's a lot of firing going on. That's unacceptable," Neil said. "It’s these kind of incidents that drive fear into people."
Neighbors say one group planned to shoot a music video by the former Sugar Shack building, and another didn't want them to do that. Deputies are still investigating what led to the gunfire.
The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office is asking anyone with information about the shooting to contact the Criminal Investigative Section at 513-851-6000 or Crime Stoppers at 513-352-3040.
"There were so many people out there at 1:30 in the afternoon," Neil said. "There has to be someone out there who knows something."
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating the shooting with Hamilton County deputies.
Frank Occhipinti, ATF Cincinnati resident agent, said that the shooting was a “battle between two separate groups.”
“What we know and what we can tell you at this point is that it’s a large scene, spanning over three blocks,” Occhipinti said. “There was a gun battle between two separate groups. There are an extraordinary amount of shell casings out there from different calibers.”
Occhipinti said they believe two to three people were behind this shooting, and they conducted two search warrants Sunday night.
“Obviously they were opposing groups and I think they -- they had some, a score to settle,” Occhipinti said. “That’s what we’re trying to get to the bottom of at this point.”
Although four were injured in the shooting, Occhipinti said the situation could have been much worse.
“It could have been a lot worse considering how many shell casings. There are people, there are kids, there are children playing on the street,” Occhipinti said. “There are just neighbors, good citizens of the city just enjoying a nice, Sunday afternoon outside, so it could have been a lot worse, considering the recklessness of these individuals.”
Richard Headen, mayor of the village of Lincoln Heights, said the area is trying to rebuild itself, and most of the people who commit these crimes do not live in Lincoln Heights.
"We're going to work very hard with the sheriff to get rid of this, and we need people when they see something to come forward,” Headen said. “Because your kids could be running around in the street and be hit with a stray bullet. We will not tolerate this in the village of Lincoln Heights."
Occhipinti said fear is on the minds of Lincoln Heights residents.
“Fear is a huge, normal feeling here for the citizens of this area,” Occhipinti said. “They’re scared. They’re scared to walk out and enjoy a nice Sunday afternoon.”
