CINCINNATI — The 16-year-old boy shot and killed in Over-the-Rhine on Tuesday was a student at Mount Auburn Preparatory Academy, a school spokesperson confirmed.
According to Cincinnati police, Thomas Bell was one of two people shot near the corner of East McMicken Avenue and Walnut Street around 5 p.m. on Sept. 16. He later died at the hospital.
As of the last update from police, the second victim was at the hospital in critical condition. We have reached out to a CPD spokesperson for an update on the second victim's condition and are waiting to hear back.
WATCH: We spoke to people who were in the area at the time of the shooting
"This is a devastating reminder of the toll that violence involving young people takes on our communities," Courtney Harritt, a spokesperson for Mount Auburn Preparatory Academy, said in a statement. "We remain committed to the safety, care, and well-being of every student we serve."
To allow time for students and staff to mourn the loss, the school will be closed on Thursday, Harritt said. Counseling and crisis support are also being offered to the school community.
"He was one of the kids who played right out here in (Grant) Park on the bikes. Never heard him cuss. He was always respectful," said Michelle Reynolds, who lives near the shooting scene. "He was a good kid. I don't think I know anybody that can say anything bad about him. The kids love him. Adults love him."
By Wednesday morning, a small memorial had been resurrected over the spot where Bell was shot. Four balloons — two pink and two purple — were tied to the stop sign near East McMicken Avenue and Walnut Street. The balloons were inscribed with phrases like "Gone but never forgotten" and "A piece of my heart is in Heaven."
Police have not shared any information about a potential suspect. However, we noticed multiple surveillance cameras hoisted above the scene of the shooting, attached to a corner store.
Charles Williams, a teacher at nearby Wesley Chapel Mission Center, said the shots rang out on Tuesday shortly after classes let out.
"I heard nothing but kids crying and screaming," he said. "I (saw) a bunch of teenagers right there, just a big scene around a body on the ground ... they'll remember that for the rest of their lives."
Wesley Chapel Mission Center, considered a safe space for youth in the community, will host grief counseling this week. It includes teaching kids to self-regulate through breathing techniques and other exercises. Williams said on Wednesday that he hoped that affected teens would utilize the program in the wake of the tragedy.
"We've got to get these kids to learn how to come together," he said. "I want to encourage the adults not to lose hope that we're going to see that day for these kids and for us to continue to lead the charge for them to be that way."
The Cincinnati Police Department's Homicide Unit is investigating the incident. Anyone with information that may be helpful should contact the homicide unit at 513-352-3542.
