CINCINNATI — A string of shootings across Cincinnati left four people dead and several others injured over the weekend, prompting the city’s police union president to call for renewed action against violent crime as officers continue to search for suspects.
“It was a violent weekend,” Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police President Ken Kober said. “You had four homicides, I think three or four other people shot in different incidents.”
The shootings happened within a matter of hours across multiple neighborhoods, creating what Kober described as a difficult weekend for officers responding from one violent scene to another.
The first fatal shooting happened around 11 p.m. Saturday in a Millvale neighborhood. Cincinnati police said responding officers found three people shot and killed.
The victims were identified as 38-year-old Kenneth Burton, 53-year-old Theresa Dudley and 41-year-old Brenea Burton, who neighbors tell WCPO was celebrating her birthday.
WATCH: FOP president voices frustration after violent Cincinnati weekend
Police have not announced any arrests or released additional details about what led up to the shooting, but said it is believed to be an isolated incident.
Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval addressed the Millvale triple shooting in a statement, calling it a “horrific act of violence.”
The mayor said the city would use every available resource to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.
Just hours later, another deadly shooting happened in the CUF neighborhood.
Police said officers were already at Fairview Park attempting to disperse a large crowd when shots were fired around 1 a.m. Sunday.
Officers found 18-year-old Cornelius Edrington suffering from a gunshot wound. He later died.
“It’s disgusting that we live in a city like Cincinnati, that this kind of thing goes on,” Kober said. “That you can be victimized that easily, and it’s frustrating.”
A third shooting happened early Sunday morning near Findlay Market in Over-the-Rhine.
Cincinnati police said two people were shot outside Privee on Elm just before 2 a.m. The victims drove themselves to a hospital and are expected to recover from non-life-threatening injuries.
Police said there was no suspect information available.
The violence came during a weekend when Cincinnati police were also monitoring reports of large groups of juveniles gathering downtown.
CPD said officers cleared a crowd of unsupervised juveniles from Smale Park around curfew time Friday night without incident. Police said many of the juveniles later moved toward Fountain Square and Government Square before leaving on buses.
Social media posts claimed groups of juveniles were involved in mob attacks near those areas.
CPD said those claims were not confirmed.
"Nothing was found, no reports taken, no victims, no suspects,” police said.
Police said additional officers were requested as a precaution, but were ultimately not needed.
Kober said the combination of violent crime and public disorder has taken a toll on officers.
“They’re tired of it,” Kober said. “They’re tired of going to homicide after homicide after homicide.”
Kober said he blamed what he described as failures within the criminal justice system, arguing that repeat offenders should face stronger consequences.
“You look at every one of the suspects, and I’m sure these latest ones are going to be no different,” Kober said. “They’re all people that are no stranger to the justice system, that have been convicted of violent crimes before.”
Kober said he believes decisions involving prosecution, sentencing and bail are contributing factors in continued violence.
“Until something tightens up with the judicial system, we’re going to see more of this,” Kober said.
Kober also criticized what he called a lack of accountability for juvenile offenders, specifically pointing to concerns over auto thefts and other crimes involving young suspects.
“These kids aren’t just getting in these cars to go joyride,” Kober said. “They’re going in to use them for shootings, robberies, breaking and entering of businesses when they’re closed.”
He called on parents to play a larger role in preventing juvenile crime.
“Not knowing where your children are at 11, 12, 1 o’clock in the morning, that falls on the parents before it falls on anybody else,” Kober said.
As summer begins, Kober said he fears the violence could continue without additional action from community leaders.
“It’s absolutely disappointing in a beautiful city like Cincinnati that here we are again, just beginning summertime, and we’re going to deal with this all summer,” Kober said.
He said he wants city leaders to send a stronger message.
“We’re not going to tolerate this violence,” Kober said. “We have to protect the community.”
