CINCINNATI — Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich announced the indictments Friday of two men in connection with Sunday's mass shooting at Riverfront Live that injured nine people.
The Cincinnati Police Department (CPD) Homicide Unit and Fugitive Apprehension Unit initially arrested and charged 24-year-old Franeek Cobb and 29-year-old Derrick Long with felonious assault on Monday in connection with the shooting. The two were also charged federally with illegally possessing a firearm or ammunition as a convicted felon, the U.S. Attorney's office announced Tuesday.
Appearing at the Hamilton County Courthouse Friday, Pillich announced Cobb and Long were indicted by a Hamilton County grand jury for their roles in the incident.
According to Pillich, Cobb is charged with one count of attempted murder, 18 counts of felonious assault and one count each of inducing panic, illegal possession of a firearm in a liquor establishment, carrying a concealed weapon and having weapons while under disability.
Long is charged with one count each of illegal possession of a firearm in a liquor establishment, tampering with evidence, carrying a concealed weapon and having weapons while under disability, Pillich said.
According to the prosecutor's office, the two men, who had "a longstanding dispute," entered Riverfront Live with guns despite being legally prohibited from possessing them due to prior convictions. You can read more about the previous convictions here.
Cobb shot Long from a close range, and Long then fired back in self-defense, the press release said. Eight bystanders were struck during the incident.
When asked why Long was not facing a felonious assault charge, Pillich said Cobb was "the instigator" who caused the mass shooting, and therefore "gets the charge of everything." She said Long "merely defended himself" and is not held accountable for the other people who were injured.
"Derrick Long did not even pull his gun out of his pocket until he had been shot and was laying on the ground," Pillich said. "So that would be an illustration of self-defense."
Cobb now faces up to 98 years in prison. Long faces up to 13 and a half years in prison.
Pillich said "hundreds of people" were at the venue and fled when gunfire erupted.
"Possessing a gun and bringing it into a crowded music venue and firing it is not only criminally illegal, but also a violent breach of our community safety," Pillich said. "We are fortunate that no one was killed. That kind of violence has no place in Hamilton County."
