The Toledo Police Museum hosted its 13th annual Cops and Rodders Car and Bike Show at Ottawa Park in Toledo on Sunday.

Click the image above and the arrows on the left and right to view the full gallery. 

Vendors who showed up at a Sylvania market on Sunday, the day after 12 people were shot at the Old West End Festival, said the incident did not spoil their plans.

“It sits in the back of my mind,” said Olivia Extine, owner of Wild Flower Stitched embroidery in Temperance, who was a vendor at a Sip and Play Summer Market. “It has affected me, but fortunately I have seen local police patrolling quite a bit here.”

Alex Roberts, owner of BK Laser, from Napoleon, said, “I have to think that things like that won’t happen or else you will be living in fear your whole life. I can’t live like that.”

Erin Liedigk, owner of Seven Little Cupcakes bakery in Perrysburg, said she was initially unaware of what happened because she worked late on Saturday.

“My husband is an officer [with the Lucas County Sheriff], so he was more apprehensive than I was about me coming today,” she said.

Sarah Souala, who owns Sweet Whiskers Desserts, said she was “a little concerned,” going to the Sylvania event.

“At big events, you always get scared, especially in the summer when everyone is outside,” Ms. Souala said. “We were reassured by Lattes & Littles that everything would be OK.”

Acknowledging that the vendors' weekend was unexepectedly impacted, Lattes & Littles, the indoor play cafe that hosted the event, invited vendors who were at the Old West End Festival to come to the Sylvania Market and set up their booths for free.

“We don’t want this heartbreaking situation to further affect local businesses and makers who were counting on today,” the Sylvania small business said in a Saturday evening Facebook post.

Olivia Wyatt, owner of Cone 6 Chick Ceramics, was just one of two who accepted the offer.

“It’s great. I saw the post at the last minute when I was on Facebook,” said Ms. Wyatt, of Toledo. “I think it’s great for them to extend the invitation. I responded right away. I took down my tent and came here.” 

She didn’t hesitate, but was nervous nonetheless.

“I didn’t have any concerns with this event, but I’ve been shaken up about yesterday,” Ms. Wyatt said. “I had my kids there. We didn’t know what was going on.”

Kim Lishewski, and her daughter, Taylor Karpinski, who together own the Lattes & Littles play space, hosted 54 vendors on Sunday.

“We wanted to bring in additional vendors from the Old West End Festival without charging a fee because they already paid their fees,” Ms. Lishewski said. 

“We wanted them to know if they wanted to come, they could,” she continued. “A lot of them are still scared, trying to overcome what happened. Many said they wanted to come, but they couldn’t remove their booths and food trucks yet.”

Zane Newland and Jordan Miller came to the market to give vendors support. Both were at the Old West End Festival when gunfire erupted.

“I thought the gunshots were from someone shooting into the air in celebration of the festival,” Ms. Miller said. They ran into a building for cover when they realized people were being shot.

Mr. Newland, who lives in the Old West End neighborhood, said he was shocked by Saturday’s violence.

“I’ve never seen anything like that before,” Mr. Newland said. “I hope I never see it again.”

Other vendors who had participated in the festival were still rattled by what had happened.

Kimilee Parker, of Parker Pretties Jewelry, had a booth set up Saturday in the art fair at the Toledo Museum of Art’s Glass Pavilion.

“We were kind of oblivious to it. We didn’t hear anything,” she said. “We saw the emergency response.”

The violence won’t keep Ms. Parker from attending future events she has planned this year.

“We’re kind of a merry band of gypsies, those of us who travel around Toledo at these events,” she said. “We’re not going to let something like this stop us. We’re going to be at the Night Market at the farmers market in a couple of weeks and at the Toledo Botanical Gardens in three weeks. I’m not canceling anything we have planned.”

Scott Hayes, drummer for the local rock band Arctic Clam, said Sunday he and his wife, Nicole Khoury, were shaken by reports they heard as they arrived at their South Toledo home Saturday night.

Arctic Clam was the first group to perform at the Old West End Festival. 

“We started getting alerts literally as we were pulling into our driveway,” Mr. Hayes said.

What made the news more impactful to him was that the shootings occurred in the same area where he and his band had been performing on a stage just a couple of hours earlier. 

He and Ms. Khoury, the band's lead singer and a Toledo municipal court judge, walked around the festival for a few minutes after their gig then decided to take a break from the heat and relax at home.

“It’s just weird,” Mr. Hayes said. “If we would have stayed a little bit later, we would have been right there.”

Mr. Hayes said he’s concerned about what the shootings mean for Toledo’s reputation and the potential impact on the numerous remaining 2026 summer festivals.

“I believe in this city. I work on my own time to try to bring investment here,” the PBF Energy government relations director said. “I don’t want anything to tarnish our good name.”

No mayor runs for office with the anticipation of navigating a mass shooting, Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said.

But it is an unfortunate reality for many cities across the country — and now Toledo.

“No one wants this to happen,” Mr. Kapszukiewicz said hours after multiple people were shot at the Old West End Festival Saturday evening.

“But to say that this is unexpected, sadly, I don’t know that you could say anymore in America that these events are unexpected,” he added.

The Gun Violence Archive has recorded 174 mass shootings this year, with the shooting in Toledo among the most recent additions to the list.

The nonprofit national archive defines a mass shooting as four or more victims injured or killed, excluding the suspect or perpetrator, in one location.

“It’s a national story, but now we’re part of the national story,” the Toledo mayor said, calling Saturday’s shooting an “anomaly.”

Now, his administration is looking at potential changes to ensure Toledo residents have a fun and safe summer.

“Among the things that I think are now on the table, that the folks I have been talking to just in the hours since, I think there’s been a lot of talk about whether a stronger curfew would make sense,” Mr. Kapszukiewicz said. “I think there’s been some talk about metal detectors or some sort of scanning or bag checks at the gates of our church festivals.”

Because police are still looking for the shooters, Mr. Kapszukiewicz suggested security cameras at events could be helpful but added that he was “sensitive to the surveillance state.” Other possibilities the city is looking at include showing proof of age in order to get into events, with juveniles required to be accompanied by an adult.

“I think we need to change the way we think about some of these larger public events,” the mayor said.

Looking at the summer ahead

The summer season is just beginning, but Toledo police have already been busy.

On May 30, officers responded to calls for service at Our Lady of Perpetual Help’s annual festival, and the mayor said he is meeting with organizers Monday to discuss next weekend’s Watershed Weekend hosted by Metroparks Toledo to celebrate the halfway point of the Glass City Riverwalk. Mr. Kapszukiewicz said the city is also preparing for the Fourth of July weekend; the same weekend last year saw multiple homicides.

The city of Toledo and Toledo City Council are preparing to hold a news conference in the next few days, the mayor said.

The police responses to the OLPH Festival and the Old West End Festival were shown on the national television show On Patrol: Live.

Mr. Kapszukiewicz, who has a personal goal to raise the city’s population to 300,000 residents by 2045, said he doesn’t think Saturday’s shooting will negatively impact population growth. He pointed to cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Houston that have undergone similar large-scale shootings but maintain sizable populations.

“Obviously events like this have the ability to create a national narrative, but I think it’s important for us to make sure that people have a full understanding of what Toledo is all about,” he said. “And I do not believe that one event, as terrible as it was, alters the positive trajectory that we’re on.”

City looks to state legislators for reform

Toledo City Councilman Erin Kramer was present at OLPH’s festival on May 30 when police responded and was at the Old West End Festival earlier in the day Saturday.

She agreed that the city needs to re-evaluate how it handles events but acknowledged that the city can only do so much at the local level.

“A lot of the laws that govern who can have weapons, and how they get them, and where they can carry them, those are at the state [level],” she said. “I’m just going to encourage folks to talk to their state representatives, talk to their senators who are working in Columbus.”

Earlier this year, Ms. Kramer was part of an initiative to declare Toledo a “Store it Safe” community and has been heavily involved in helping the city pass out free gun locks. More than 450 of those gun locks have been distributed.

State Rep. Josh Williams (R., Sylvania Township) said the photos and videos coming out of Saturday’s shooting “hit close to home” and emphasized the importance of passing two pieces of legislation he has introduced in the state House.

Mr. Williams said he was not present at the festival on Saturday, but many of his friends were there.

House Bill 5, sponsored by Mr. Williams, would substantially increase penalties for gun violence, including those who unlawfully possess a firearm. His other bill, House Bill 236, would create a new criminal offense of “masked harassment” to prohibit individuals from wearing a mask or other disguises in certain circumstances.

“Those are two pieces of legislation I think would drive our crime down,” Mr. Williams said. “Juvenile offenders believe that because they are youth, that they can commit these types of offenses, and they’re not going to face serious penalties. We need our juveniles to know that if you commit these types of offenses, you will be charged as an adult.”

Toledo police have not released descriptions of the suspects, so it is unclear if the offenders were juveniles. Detectives are asking anyone who witnessed the incident or has photos, videos, or other information to call or text the Crime Stopper program at 419-255-1111. Callers can remain anonymous.

Local incident could guide November elections

Ms. Kramer, who is involved in the gun violence advocacy organization Moms Demand Action, said oftentimes when tragedies strike, people may find it inappropriate to start discussing legislative changes, but she disagrees.

“It is completely the time to talk about legislation,” she said. “It’s beyond the time.”

With statewide elections on the horizon, Ms. Kramer said now is the time for Toledo residents to determine where their candidates stand on gun rights, reducing gun violence, and public safety issues.

Both of Ohio’s gubernatorial candidates issued statements Saturday night on the Old West End shooting. Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy called the shooting “horrible” and promised to “prosecute violent criminals across the state aggressively,” if elected in November. Democratic candidate Dr. Amy Acton said she was “devastated” by the news and said “every Ohioan deserves to celebrate and be in community without fear of violence.”

Mr. Kapszukiewicz, a Democrat, said Dr. Acton had reached out personally to him after Saturday’s shooting. Staff members with U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno (R., Ohio) have also been in contact with the mayor’s administration.

The mayor said shootings with so many victims are rare in Toledo, but it isn’t rare across the United States, which warrants a deeper conversation.

“As we move forward, and as we get ready to start our 250th birthday,” he said, “something seems broken about an American system that tolerates 170 mass shootings not even halfway through the year.”

Several residential streets will close for all traffic except local access on Monday with the start of reconstruction projects.

Elmview Drive will close between Gracewood Road and Castleton Avenue, and Wayne Street will close between Western and Airline avenues, both for three months.

Hoops Drive will close between Suder Avenue and 282nd Street, Gallier Drive will close between Giger Drive and its dead end, and Giger will close between Hoops and Gallier, all for four months.

Work on Melva Court between 290th Street and its dead end will last two weeks, city officials said.

After yet another postponement, construction of a roundabout at Monclova and Albon roads in Monclova Township is now scheduled to start June 15.

With the Lucas County Engineer’s Office blaming late relocation of Toledo Edison poles for delaying the project well past its original late-April start, I paid the site a visit Friday.

Utility crews were working that afternoon on poles at Monclova’s nearby intersection with Waterville-Monclova Road. New poles were all standing at Albon, but the old poles remained in the roundabout’s path with telecommunications cables still needing to be moved.

How long it had been since the Edison crews moved to the other intersection, where a roundabout will be built after the one at Albon opens, was not obvious.

But the first one’s late start casts overwhelming doubt on the likelihood that the roundabout at Monclova and Waterville-Monclova will be done before schools open, considering the two intersections combined are expected to take three months to complete and that now runs into mid-September.

****

The temporary closing Friday night of the Monroe Street exit from northbound U.S. 23 in Sylvania occurred as planned, and the Ohio Department of Transportation expects it to reopen next weekend on its new alignment.

ODOT now expects that to occur between 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday, during which hours northbound U.S. 23 will be reduced to one lane for barrier wall positioning.

The state says reopening of Monroe’s widened bridge over the freeway remains on track for mid-August.

****

A traffic-pattern switch over the weekend means the Secor Road reconstruction between Laskey and Alexis roads is in its homestretch.

Traffic is now using the left lane in each direction while the final surface is paved and manholes are adjusted in the right lanes. This layout will flip once the right lanes are finished in about two weeks.

A building demolition project will require lane closings on Michigan Street in downtown Toledo between Jackson and Adams streets from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays for three weeks starting Monday.

Utility work will close Lagrange Street on Monday and Tuesday between Bancroft and Baker streets. Use Cherry Street instead between Greenbelt Parkway and Sherman Street.

In southwest Toledo, a pavement grinding and resurfacing project will close Nebraska Avenue for five days, starting Monday, between Byrne and Cuthbert roads. A detour will use Dorr Street and Westwood Avenue.

And in Bedford Township, the long-awaited construction of a roundabout at Jackman and Smith roads is scheduled to start Monday.

Traffic on Smith will be detoured to Alexis Road in Toledo between Douglas Road and Lewis Avenue. Use Douglas or Lewis instead of Jackman between Alexis and Sterns Road.

****
• Ohio Turnpike (I-80/I-90): Lane closings approaching and across the Maumee River in both directions during a redecking project. All traffic is using what is normally the bridge’s eastbound half while work occurs on the westbound side. Lane closings for repaving between the I-75 and I-280 interchanges in Wood County.

• I-75 (Mich.): Traffic reduced to two lanes each way between South Otter Creek and Dunbar roads in Monroe County while the northbound lanes are rebuilt. The South Otter Creek entrance to northbound I-75 and both northbound ramps at LaPlaisance Road are closed until mid-November. Use South Otter Creek and M-125 to reach downtown Monroe from Toledo.

• I-75 (Ohio), State Rt. 795: The Route 795 bridge over I-75 is closed for deck replacement until late July. All ramps remain open and through traffic is detoured via I-75 to the Fremont Pike (U.S. 20/23) or Buck Road interchanges. Route 795 has lane closings nearby for paving. Intermittent lane closings may occur on I-75.

• I-75 (Ohio): Nighttime resurfacing near the I-475 junction in Perrysburg appears finished except for the northbound left lane north of Five Point Road, which presumably will be done when the exit ramp is resurfaced during the summer.

• I-75 (Ohio): One of three lanes closed in each direction at Hancock County Road 99, north of Findlay, for work in the median as an interchange reconstruction nears completion.

• I-475/U.S. 23: All southbound lanes are scheduled to be closed from 8 p.m. Friday through 6 a.m. Monday for the next two weekends, weather permitting. between U.S. 24 in Maumee and State Rt. 25  in Perrysburg. ODOT urges motorists to use I-475 toward the I-75 junction in Toledo instead. The entrance from Salisbury Road/Dussel Drive and Illinois Avenue also will be closed.

• U.S. 6/24: Lanes closed in both directions along and west of the Napoleon Bypass for preparations for upcoming reconstruction.

• U.S. 24: Varying lane closings for up to four miles at a time in both directions between Henry County Road 4 and Waterville-Monclova Road for pavement repair. The eastbound exit and entrance at State Rt. 295 will close from 7 a.m. Friday until the afternoon of June 16 for repair. Detours will be posted to the next available interchange.

• U.S. 24: Right lane closed in either direction near Defiance until mid-July for slope repair. The westbound work will be at Krouse Road, while the eastbound work will be at Baltimore Street.

• U.S. 20 (Louisiana Avenue): Closed between the CSX railroad crossing and Front Street in Perrysburg. Nearby parallel streets are available for cars and light trucks. Indiana Avenue and State Rt. 25 is the posted detour for larger vehicles, and Truck U.S. 20 is preferable for through traffic.

• U.S. 20/23: Lane closings on U.S. 20 between State Rt. 105 in Woodville and the State Rt. 420 junction near Lemoyne. This also affects several miles of U.S. 23 in the west end of the work area. Work is expected to run through June.

• U.S. 23, State Rt. 51: The Monroe Street (State Rt. 51) bridge over U.S. 23 in Sylvania is closed for reconstruction. The northbound exit at Monroe is closed until Sunday; use the Talmadge Road or Corey Road exits from I-475 instead. Other interchange ramps are open, and posted detours use U.S. 23 to either the Sterns interchange in Michigan or the Dorr interchange in Toledo/Springfield Township. Sylvania Avenue is the closest local alternative. Short-term lane closings are possible on U.S. 23. Monroe has lanes closed between U.S. 23 and Nantuckett Drive for repaving.

• State Rt. 2: Closed for five days, starting Monday, between Fulton County roads E and 16, west of Wauseon, for culvert replacement. Detour via State Rt. 108, U.S. 20A, and State Rt. 66.

• State Rt. 2 (Navarre): Lane closings between Wheeling and Coy in Oregon for curb and sidewalk construction.

• State Rt. 64: Closed between Kellogg and Bishop roads in northern Wood County for bridge replacement through mid-July. Detour via State Rts. 582 and 25.

• State Rt. 65 (River): Closed just south of downtown Rossford for a bridge replacement until mid-August. A posted detour follows I-75 between the Miami Street interchange and I-475, then I-475 to State Rt. 25 to Route 65. Colony Road and Eagle Point Drive is a shorter option for smaller vehicles.

• Secor Road: Lane closings between Laskey and Alexis roads for the second half of roadway reconstruction. Use Talmadge or Tremainsville/Douglas instead. Completion expected in July.

• East Broadway Street, State Rt. 51 (Woodville): The southbound lane is closed between Woodville Road and Oakdale Avenue for final paving and manhole adjustments. Use Oak Street instead. The outbound right lane on Woodville is closed, which may cause minor delays. Traffic on Oakdale may be delayed during work in the intersection.

• Summit Street (Mich.): The I-75 Exit 2 Connector is one lane each way for bridge replacement and resurfacing.

• Summit Street (Ohio): The southbound lanes are closed south of New York Avenue for reconstruction through July. Use either I-75 or Manhattan Boulevard to I-280 to reach downtown Toledo from the far North End and Point Place. Side streets are closed through the zone.

People come for the houses, but they stay for the people.

It’s a sentiment repeated often in Toledo’s Old West End, where Victorian mansions and historic architecture may draw visitors in, but residents say the neighborhood’s sense of community is what truly defines it.

On Sunday morning, less than 24 hours after gunfire erupted during the Old West End Festival, residents of the neighborhood were determined to prove this statement true. With the festival canceled on Sunday, they continued to gather on porches, host brunches, celebrate birthdays, and be there for one another.

While residents were heartbroken by the event, they were equally determined not to let it become the defining image of their neighborhood.

“I want to emphasize that this has nothing to do with where we are or who we are,” said resident Natalie Gray.

Ms. Gray and Michelle Atkinson, owner of local craft store Vod’s Here!, sat in their front yard all morning, painting colorful sidewalk art.

“They’re making art in spite of it all,” Ms. Gray said.

Mrs. Atkinson said the culture of the neighborhood is different because life happens on front porches.

“People sit on their front porches, and they get to know their neighbors a little bit more,” she said. “It’s called front-porch living.”

Just down the street is the home of Judy Stone and Skip Gaynor, longtime residents of the neighborhood.

They said the identity of the neighborhood is rooted in relationships rather than its timeless architecture.

“Living in this neighborhood is like living with family,” Mrs. Stone said.

Mr. Gaynor said the only danger he has faced in the neighborhood is the inability to go on a walk without being stopped by countless friends.

“You head out for a little walk around the block, and somebody calls you up on the porch,” he said. “It’s essentially a front-porch community.”

Another treasured quality of the Old West End is its diversity and acceptance of all, regardless of background.

“It doesn’t matter if you live in a tiny little house or a mansion district house,” Mrs. Stone said. “Nobody cares.”

Mrs. Stone finds it difficult to explain the uniqueness of the neighborhood to those who do not live in it.

“You really have to live here to absorb the flavor of it,” she said.

Mrs. Stone and Mr. Gaynor joined their neighbors at a brunch hosted by Karen Marquardt. It brought neighbors together to process the previous night’s events and be in community.

Ms. Marquardt said the spirit of inclusion is one of the reasons she chose to come back to the neighborhood years after leaving.

“I didn’t want to live in a neighborhood where we all look the same,” she said. “There is so much diversity here.”

She shared anecdotes that prove the deep connection of the neighborhood.

“That’s how this neighborhood is,” she said. “I can’t walk a dog without knowing somebody, without getting invited onto a porch. Where else do you get that? I don’t know another neighborhood like that.”

She recalled when her cat went missing earlier that year and dozens of neighbors, even some she had never met, helped in her search.

Mary Bennett, who has lived in the Old West End since the early 1990s, said the sense of connection extends far beyond immediate neighbors.

“I consider my neighbors to be the ones that live three blocks over,” she said.

Mrs. Bennett said everyone is willing to drop everything for a neighbor in need.

“When something happens, one of us gets sick, the food comes,” she said.

Lisa Glenn echoed that statement, describing the interactions she has simply on her daily walks.

“Everybody knows everybody, and everybody is out,” Mrs. Glenn said.

For residents, these deep relationships are what truly define the Old West End.

“We will get through this as a resilient neighborhood,” Mrs. Stone said.

Bishop Daniel E. Thomas of the Diocese of Toledo on Sunday added his voice to a growing chorus of community leaders who have spoken out against the violence at the Old West End Festival on Saturday.

“I join the people of our community and the entire Diocese of Toledo in praying for all who were injured, for their families and loved ones, and for all who witnessed these traumatic events. We remember especially the children, families, elderly residents, and the hundreds of innocent festival attendees whose sense of security was violated by these tragic acts,” he said.

“I lament and decry the indiscriminate violence that has so deeply affected this neighborhood. Once again, gun violence has taken center stage in our community, leaving suffering and fear in its wake,” the Bishop continued.

Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral at 2535 Collingwood Blvd. has been a fixture of the Old West End neighborhood for nearly a century.

“For those of us who live in the Old West End, this tragedy is literally close to home. The Old West End is a neighborhood rich in history, faith, culture, and community,” he said. “While these tragic acts have shaken our neighborhood, they have not shaken our faith in humanity, nor have they shaken our faith in the Lord of Life.”

“May those responsible be brought to justice, and may our community find strength in coming together in peace and hope,” Bishop Thomas said.

Also in the neighborhood is the Toledo Museum of Art, which said in a statement that it believes in the “strength and character” of the Old West End.

“The festival is a celebration of community, creativity, and connection, values we share at TMA,” museum officials said Sunday on social media. “What happened yesterday was heartbreaking, but it does not define this neighborhood or our shared community.”

Lucas County Commissioners also issued a statement Sunday, encouraging people to unite to prevent future violence.

“Our thoughts are immediately with the victims, their families, and everyone who has been shaken by this tragedy on a day that was meant to be about celebration and joy,” the statement reads. “Many of our residents will live with the trauma of this act of violence forever, and we as a country are defined by what we do next to prevent gun violence. We are incredibly grateful for the heroic efforts of our first responders who acted quickly with courage and bravery. This incident does not define who we are as a community, and we must all join forces to root out violence in any form.”

The commissioners were not the only elected officials to weigh in on the shooting.

Gov. Mike DeWine released a statement Saturday night expressing concern about the violence.

“I am deeply concerned about the situation in Toledo tonight,” the Governor said. “Summer festivals should be safe spaces for families to spend time together without fear of violence. Fran and I are praying for everyone impacted by the incident at the Old West End Festival, and we are confident that law enforcement will locate the suspects involved in this senseless crime.”

U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) weighed in as well.

“Our community is in pain tonight as a result of senseless gun violence in Toledo’s storied Old West End community,” Ms. Kaptur said. “Let me express our gratitude to the Toledo Police and Fire Departments and all first responders for once again proving their courage and utter devotion to duty.

“Praying now for victims and our Old West End community — one of the most joyous and celebrated events in our region will endure. It will take time and work to restore comfort, security, and trust.”

Residents of Toledo’s Old West End neighborhood reeled after two separate incidents involving shootings and kidnappings, one of them fatal, along with a spate of burglaries at homes throughout the historic district.

It was 1996, and the community struggled to come to grips with what was happening. Residents had already formed a task force to address the 35 daytime burglaries that included more than $30,000 in jewelry stolen from one home and $20,000 in silver from a mansion, according to Blade reporting at the time. 

“People tend to prey on us because they feel we have something that they don’t,” one longtime resident said. 

The Old West End, which is nestled between high-crime areas of Toledo, was again the focus of city residents’ concerns in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd.

In November, 2018, the community’s board had contracted with a local security firm to patrol the neighborhood to help deter crime. But neighborhood officials neglected to tell the company to halt its armed guard patrols during a June 6, 2020, Black Lives Matter demonstration. The mix of armed security and protesters caused an uproar in the city. 

The neighborhood

The Old West End was one of the first planned neighborhoods in the Midwest, and, by the late 1800s, many of the region’s wealthiest citizens built mansions there and called it home. Among them, Frank Stranahan, co-founder of Champion Spark Plug; Edward Drummond Libbey, the glass tycoon; and Edward Ford, founder of a large plate-glass factory.

The Old West End Association boasts of that history on its website, calling the neighborhood “one of the largest collections of Victorian, Edwardian, and Arts and Crafts homes in the United States,” adding that it “serves as a showcase of architectural styles popular with Americans around the turn of the century.”

Boundary lines are roughly from Monroe Street, including the Toledo Museum of Art, up to Cherry Street, and from the train tracks west of Detroit Avenue to Collingwood Boulevard.

Over time, as residents began to move to suburbs and highways cut through the area, a decline began, Tedd Long, a local historian and founder of holytoledohistory.com, said Sunday.

“In the 1960s and 1970s, residents came together to save the neighborhood, leading to historic district designation and a remarkable preservation effort,” he said. The ’70s also marked the first Old West End Festival celebrating those efforts.

However, he added, “the full spectrum of urban life” has been experienced there. 

“It was once home to Toledo’s wealthiest families, who hosted lavish parties and helped shape the city’s future. It was also the setting for colorful traditions like the King Wamba Carnival parades. But, like many urban neighborhoods, it also faced difficult periods, including economic decline, disinvestment, and crime,” Mr. Long said.

He and Ted Ligibel, a preservationist and professor emeritus from Eastern Michigan University, have led walking tours of the neighborhood.

“What makes the Old West End special isn’t that it avoided those challenges — it’s that the people who lived here refused to let those challenges define the neighborhood. Residents organized, restored homes, fought highway projects, preserved historic buildings, and rebuilt a sense of community,” Mr. Long said. “That’s really what the Old West End Festival celebrates. Yes, it’s about the houses, but it’s also about the people who saved this neighborhood and continue to invest in it today.”

Before 12 people were injured late Saturday afternoon in shootings during the festival, a parade tradition that dates back to 1909 was celebrated. The King Wamba Parade launched as a six-day spectacular billed as “the Mardi Gras of the North.” Even then, crime was a problem, a 2000 retrospective of the carnival said.

“Suspicious characters have been coming into the city in large numbers, anticipating a rich harvest,” The Blade reported before that first parade. “The police department was put on 18-hour days, and 40 extra detectives were hired for the week. Known criminals were cut from the mob at the train station by police, photographed, and put on the next train headed out of town.” 

Organizers canceled Sunday’s festival activities, posting on the association’s website: “We are heartbroken about those that were injured at the Old West End Festival. Many people want to know how we proceed from such a dark place.”

Even as police continue to investigate the shootings and victims recover, Mr. Long said there is hope for the neighborhood and the city.

“I have every confidence that the neighborhood will overcome the heartbreaking events of this past weekend,” Mr. Long said.

“In fact, I hope we’ll someday look back on this moment not as the thing that defined the Old West End, but as the catalyst that brought people together to address the long-standing issue of crime and make both the neighborhood and our city even stronger.”

One person has died after being shot by a Mercy Health Police Department officer Saturday afternoon at Mercy Health St. Charles Hospital in Oregon.

Oregon police crews responded to the hospital about 4:35 p.m. on reports of an active shooter in the hospital parking lot. Upon arrival, officers learned that there was no active shooter, Oregon Police Chief Brandon Begin said.

“Our care teams responded quickly and we are working with law enforcement,” Mercy Health officials said in a statement. “Our facility remains a safe and secure environment where our teams continue to deliver compassionate care.”

Officials said it was an isolated incident, and there is no ongoing threat to the public.

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation will conduct an investigation of the incident.

Lucas County Prosecutor Julia Bates promised “swift and strong” justice for those involved in Saturday’s Old West End Festival shooting that wounded 12 people.

But that happening will depend on investigators’ ability to identify those responsible and track their movements before and after the gunfire.

“Those who were frightened, traumatized or harmed by this violence will remain at the forefront of our efforts,” Mrs. Bates said in a statement her office released Sunday morning. “I’ve felt outrage before, but this is personal. This is my home. These are my friends and neighbors. It is not OK.”

Investigators canvassed the Old West End neighborhood Sunday in search of residential surveillance cameras that may have recorded useful footage of the shooting’s participants.

That information could complement anything picked up by portable camera towers the police department may have stationed at the festival, as it did at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Festival the previous weekend.

The OLPH event was disrupted by a gun scare the evening of May 30 that included a false report of shots fired. A person at the festival turned out to have an airsoft gun. An evacuation of the festival grounds was chaotic.

“The violence we witnessed Saturday at the Old West End Festival is terrible and heartbreaking,” Mrs. Bates said. “My thoughts are with those who were injured, their loved ones and everyone who experienced this horrific act of violence.”

The prosecutor noted that in cases like this one, her office has established a practice of pursuing additional felonious assault charges against defendants who fire guns into crowds. Those additional counts represent people who were placed at risk by the gunfire even if they weren’t actually shot, she said.

Festivals like the Old West End’s are “a time when people come together to celebrate the neighborhood’s history, culture, and diversity,” Mrs. Bates said, and this one “is the unofficial start of Toledo’s festival season.”

“Gun violence must stop,” she said. “It has affected far too many aspects of our daily lives. We are not immune from the callous, random and outrageous violence unleashed on unsuspecting festivalgoers. No individual or family should have to fear for their safety while attending a community event.”

Investigators needed about nine months to identify suspects in an October, 2022, drive-by shooting that wounded three people outside Whitmer Memorial Stadium during the fourth quarter of a high school football game.

Several dozen rounds were sprayed toward a crowd outside the stadium from a blue Dodge Challenger. None of the three victims was seriously injured, but the incident caused the stadium’s evacuation and cancellation of the rest of the game.

The following July, gunman Jaron Phillips, now 25, was arrested and charged with three counts of felonious assault in that case, as well as with aggravated murder for a fatal vehicle-to-vehicle shooting early the previous day.

Police used surveillance video and cell phone data to place Phillips at the scenes of both shootings. The Whitmer shooting targeted a 21-year-old member of a rival gang who was one of the three people shot, while the fatal shooting the previous day targeted a witness in a gang-related drive-by shooting in the Old West End in February, 2022, that killed a 10-year-old passenger in the intended victim’s SUV.

Phillips pleaded guilty to three counts of felonious assault for the Whitmer shooting, involuntary manslaughter and improper discahrge of a firearms in the witness shooting, and participating in a criminal gang. He is serving a 34-year prison term. Kejuan Lucas, also 25 and a codefendant in the Whitmer shooting, is in the midst of a four-year prison term.

George Kral, a former Toledo police chief who now is the city’s director of public safety, acknowledged that cases like these can take time to investigate, but he said help from the public can help shorten it.

“We’re hoping it doesn’t take that long with an incident like this that’s so horrific and fresh in everyone’s mind,” Mr. Kral said Sunday.

The Old West End festival, where 12 people were shot on Saturday, hired off-duty deputies to provide general security for the event.

Wes Bombrys, the Lucas County sheriff’s chief deputy, said the festival’s organizers hired eight of the department’s deputies to patrol the festival. All of the deputies were off duty and working for the festival — called “projecting” — and all eight responded to the scene of the shooting.

“They were there to provide extra support and security for the event,” Mr. Bombrys said. “There was eight of us, and I checked with our major, and he indicated that all of our officers responded to the scene.”

Six of the deputies at the event were full-time employees of the sheriff’s office, and two were reserve deputies. The reserve deputy program mostly consists of retired deputies who have volunteered to respond in large emergencies, and the program also allows them to seek projecting employment.

Mr. Bombrys said the sheriff’s office was not aware of a security plan for the event, since the officers were not working on regular duty.

“The officers ... are paid by [the festival], and they work under them, as far as what they want them to do,” Mr. Bombrys said. “Usually it’s general security, and they’ll work with Toledo [police] ... as far as working up a plan of how many people should be where and so forth.”

George Kral, Toledo’s public safety director, said Toledo police officers were not working the festival, but additional support had been called in for the shifts during it.

“We hope everybody just goes and enjoys a festival and has a good time, but unfortunately we had people with other thoughts,” Mr. Kral said.

Mr. Kral said there were no specific security concerns with the festival beyond the large crowd of people but that the department was prepared to respond to an incident if it occurred.

The department’s deputy chief, Joseph Heffernan, said at a news conference Saturday evening that the police also had live cameras stationed at the festival.

“We had our mobile security cameras that go right into our real-time crime center active, so there is a lot of evidence, it’s just a matter of going through a lot of that evidence,” Mr. Heffernan said.

In response to the shooting, the Old West End Association will host two, one-hour community support sessions on Monday: one at noon and another at 6 p.m. at Collingwood Presbyterian Church, 2108 Collingwood Blvd.

The sessions will be facilitated by Shaiem Hampton of Shaiem Behavioral Health, and licensed counselors will be available after the event.

“This briefing will provide an opportunity for residents, volunteers, festival attendees, and others impacted by the events to receive information, support, and guidance in a compassionate and professional setting,” the association said on Facebook.

The Old West End Festival is the second event this summer to attract a large police response.

On May 30, cell phone videos showed police responding to a large gathering of teenagers at Our Lady of Perpetual Help’s annual festival in South Toledo. Officers had received a report of a pistol in a handbag and ultimately found a teen with an Airsoft pistol.

Old West End Festival organizers declined to comment beyond a statement released Saturday.

A look at recent actions in the Ohio General Assembly and how lawmakers representing the area voted.

OHIO HOUSE

Senate Bill 219: Specifies that the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Oil and Gas Resources Management owns the right to carbon credits for any orphaned well plugged using state or federal money. It also allows the division chief to enter into agreements to obtain or sell carbon credits (goes to Senate for concurrence vote).

Sponsor: Sen. Al Landis (R., Dover).

Vote: Passed Wednesday, 63-30.

Northwest Ohio representatives: Elgin Rogers (D., Toledo), yes; Michele Grim (D., Toledo), no; Erika White (D., Springfield Township), no; Josh Williams (R., Sylvania Township), yes; Haraz Ghanbari (R., Perrysburg), yes; Jim Hoops (R., Napoleon), yes; D.J. Swearingen (R., Huron), yes; Rep. Gary Click (R., Vickery), yes; Kellie Deeter (R., Norwalk), yes; Ty Mathews (R., Findlay), yes; Matt Huffman (R., Lima), yes; Roy Klopfenstein (R., Haviland), yes.

House Bill 163: Requires the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services to replace all existing electronic benefit transfer cards used to provide benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program with cards that are chip-enabled (goes to Senate).

Sponsor: Reps. Tristan Rader (D., Lakewood) and Deeter.

Vote: Passed Wednesday, 92-0.

Northwest Ohio representatives: Mr. Rogers, yes; Ms. Grim, yes; Ms. White, yes; Mr. Williams, yes; Mr. Ghanbari, yes; Mr. Hoops, yes; Mr. Swearingen, yes; Mr. Click, yes; Ms. Deeter, yes; Mr. Mathews, yes; Mr. Huffman, yes; Mr. Klopfenstein, yes.

House Bill 528: Requires a seven-year mandatory minimum prison term for forcible rape (goes to Senate). 

Sponsor: Mr. Williams.

Vote: Passed Wednesday, 89-0

Northwest Ohio representatives: Mr. Rogers, yes; Ms. Grim, yes; Ms. White, yes; Mr. Williams, yes; Mr. Ghanbari, yes; Mr. Hoops, yes; Mr. Swearingen, yes; Mr. Click, yes; Ms. Deeter, yes; Mr. Mathews, yes; Mr. Huffman, yes; Mr. Klopfenstein, yes.

House Bill 639: Creates a complete defense to a civil action for nuisances involving a racing facility and racetrack arising on or after the bill’s effective date if certain conditions are met (goes to Senate).

Sponsor: Mr. Click and Ms. Deeter.

Vote: Passed Wednesday, 88-1.

Northwest Ohio representatives: Mr. Rogers, yes; Ms. Grim, yes; Ms. White, yes; Mr. Williams, yes; Mr. Ghanbari, yes; Mr. Hoops, yes; Mr. Swearingen, yes; Mr. Click, yes; Ms. Deeter, yes; Mr. Mathews, yes; Mr. Huffman, yes; Mr. Klopfenstein, yes.

OHIO SENATE

Senate Bill 106: Declares that electric vehicle charging stations are a competitive retail electric service that consumers may obtain from any supplier, subject to Ohio laws (goes to governor). 

Sponsor: Sen. Bill Reineke (R., Tiffin). 

Vote: Concurred with House amendments Wednesday, 31-0.

Northwest Ohio senators: Paula Hicks-Hudson (D., Toledo), yes; Theresa Gavarone (R., Bowling Green), yes; Rob McColley (R., Napoleon), yes; Mr. Reineke, yes.

Senate Joint Resolution 10: Places a constitutional amendment on the ballot to require voter ID (goes to House).

Sponsor: Sens. Jane Timken (R., Canton) and Gavarone. 

Vote: Adopted Wednesday, 22-9.

Northwest Ohio senators: Ms. Hicks-Hudson, no; Ms. Gavarone, yes; Mr. McColley, yes; Mr. Reineke, yes.

Senate Bill 450: Provides capital appropriations (goes to House).

Sponsor: Sen. Jerry Cirino (R., Kirtland).

Vote: Passed Wednesday, 31-0.

Northwest Ohio senators: Ms. Hicks-Hudson, yes; Ms. Gavarone, yes; Mr. McColley, yes; Mr. Reineke, yes.

Senate Bill 120: Creates the Urban Farmer Youth Initiative Pilot Program (goes to House).

Sponsor: Ms. Hicks-Hudson.

Vote: Passed Wednesday, 31-0.

Northwest Ohio senators: Ms. Hicks-Hudson, yes; Ms. Gavarone, yes; Mr. McColley, yes; Mr. Reineke, yes.

The secret to success for the Republican Party is to get back into the communities, Fox News contributor Tyrus said.

The anchor of the Fox News show Gutfeld! headlined the Lucas County Republican Party’s annual Lincoln Day Dinner on Friday, emphasizing the importance of communities to win elections.

“The one thing that the Socialist Democratic Party does more than we do is they’re always in the communities,” said Tyrus, whose real name is George Murdoch.

“I always say we spend too much time talking about what the President’s doing, what the big senators are doing, and not enough time with what’s going on in our communities,” he added.

The local party is preparing to do just that, said Barbara Orange, the chairman of the Lucas County Republican Party.

“We’re gearing up to launch a coordinated campaign to get all of our local candidates and Derek [Merrin] elected and support our statewide candidates,” she said.

Mr. Merrin recently came out victorious in a crowded Republican primary to take on U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) in the general election.

Before introducing Tyrus, Mr. Merrin emphasized the importance of grassroots efforts in taking on the longest-serving woman in Congress.

“I need you all to make a personal list of every person, adult, that you know in the Ohio 9th congressional district that you believe is a Republican, conservative, where you can talk to and convince them on who to vote for,” Mr. Merrin said to the dinner attendees. “That’s what we need.”

“There’s enough Republicans in this district right now to defeat Marcy Kaptur,” he added. “And there’s enough liberals and Democrats to re-elect her. It all depends on who shows up.”

Ohio’s 9th congressional district is one of the most-watched races of this election cycle after Ms. Kaptur narrowly beat Mr. Merrin in 2024 in a district that President Trump also won. However, the district was redrawn last year and now gives Republicans an advantage of 9 percentage points.

While the Republican Party works to mobilize voters to get to the polls, Schuyler Beckwith, chairman of the Lucas County Democratic Party, pointed to strong turnout during May’s primary election.

When reached for comment before Friday’s event, Ms. Beckwith did not address the Republican Party’s annual dinner but highlighted the Democratic Party’s base.

“The enthusiasm for Democrats was made clear with the incredible turnout in the Democratic primary,” she said.

In Lucas County, which is a Democratic stronghold, 30,767 Democratic ballots were cast in the primary election. In comparison 21,033 Republican ballots were cast.

When asked after the event about Ohio’s importance in keeping the Republican majority in the House and Senate, Tyrus re-emphasized the importance of the grassroots effort, which he said Ohio doesn’t lack.

“You know, up to this point, Ohio was the swing state,” Tyrus said.

In addition to Ohio’s 9th congressional district, the state’s Senate seat is also a closely watched race. U.S. Sen. Jon Husted (R., Ohio) is looking to keep the seat he was appointed to last year, while former Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown seeks redemption after his 2024 loss.

Ohio’s gubernatorial race is also drawing attention as Democrats rally behind former Ohio health director Dr. Amy Acton and Republicans throw their support behind biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. A recent Fox News poll has the candidates in a dead heat with 50 percent of respondents backing Dr. Acton and 49 percent choosing Mr. Ramaswamy.

About 250 people attended Friday’s dinner. The annual dinner is the county party’s largest fund-raising event, with the money raised going to support candidates.

Ms. Orange said the party wanted to choose an unconventional keynote speaker this year.

“We wanted to go outside the box this year,” she said. “We were blessed that [Tyrus] agreed to come. He speaks with common sense, and he is real, which reflects the party.”

Tyrus joined Fox News in 2016 and regularly appears on a number of the network’s programs. He is also a retired professional wrestler, having launched his career with the WWE.

The Gutfeld! show airs weeknights on Fox News at 10 p.m.

Ohio’s general election takes place Nov. 3.

Jalonnie Smart, 6, danced to music Saturday morning next to her mother, Shanale Morgan, who sat on a bench on a crowded Bancroft Street as they waited for the annual Old West End Festival parade to kick off the neighborhood celebration.

The girl wore a huge smile on her face while she listened to music on her mom’s phone, awaiting the activities they participate in every year. 

“It’s just exciting with the parade,” Ms. Morgan said. “We’re going to go to the art sale, yard sales, all that stuff.” 

Residents of the Old West End neighborhood and even people from out of state stopped by to cheer on the floats, marching bands, and Corvettes that cruised down Collingwood Boulevard and Bancroft.

Toledoans Sharonda Jones and Takiyah Simmons danced down the sidewalk together as the Scott High School Marching Band made its way down the parade route.

“We always stand here and wait for Scott,” Ms. Simmons said. 

Saturday’s festival was Ms. Jones’ first in 13 years. She moved back to Toledo three months ago after living in Alabama for more than a decade. 

“It was long,” Ms. Jones said of the parade with a laugh. “Them country festivals don’t last this long.”

A Toledo Fire and Rescue Department fire truck blared its siren, followed by Corvettes, Jeeps, and marching bands. Members of Toledo Public Schools, Trinity Episcopal Church, Metroparks Toledo, and Toledo Lions Cheers threw candy to families on the side of the road. 

Shawn Clark came down from Michigan with her husband, Mike Clark, and her mother, Frances Shuff.

They make it a point to stop by every year, not only for the parade but also for the yard and art sales, Mrs. Clark said. 

The trio has never lived in the Old West End but have many friends that do, she added.

“It’s a great way to spend a Saturday,” Mrs. Clark said. “We went to the parade here a few years back and haven't been able to make it since then.”

Selling flower crowns in front of Ann Manor is a relatively new tradition for Pam Weirauch and a friend, who both live in the neighborhood. They sat behind a table with a basket of crowns in different colors and styles while watching the parade. 

“Last year, we decided to sit down and do this as a craft because we’re not very crafty,” Ms. Weirauch said. “We thought, ‘Well, let’s just [keep doing this] because it’s fun and it’s very Old West End-ish.’” 

She’s lived in the Old West End for over 20 years and said she’s stayed there because of its diversity and inclusivity. 

“I want to say this as nicely as I can: There are 50-something condos here [at Ann Manor], and there are so many different people, and they’re just quirky enough to keep it interesting,” Ms. Weirauch said. 

“There’s something for everyone,” she continued. “There’s a bicycle club, a walking club, you can garden, there’s tournaments, there’s dinner parties.” 

The 12 people who were shot at the Old West End Festival on Saturday evening were all in stable condition Sunday afternoon and continuing to improve, Toledo police said.

The victims, ranging in age from 14 to 61, were injured after two people opened fire on each other during the popular family friendly festival, sending bullets into the crowd. 

Police were continuing their search Sunday for the two shooters believed to be responsible for the gunfire near Delaware and Glenwood avenues. No arrests have been made.

“It’s just a shame, you know, when a few people, for whatever reasons going through their head, decide to disrupt something that has been a beloved community event for many, many, many years,” Deputy Chief Joseph Heffernan said.

The chief said investigators would “dissect what happened and who was responsible, and certainly the motives are going to be one of them. Why would somebody do something like this? It’s just horrible.”

Detectives are asking anyone who has not yet spoken to investigators, or has photos, videos, or other information, to call or text the Crime Stopper program at 419-255-1111. Callers may remain anonymous and could be eligible for a reward.

In addition to a plea for photos and videos, Lt. Dan Gerken implored parents to speak to their children about Saturday’s events.

“Talk to your kids, there’s kids out there that probably know more than all of us standing here, right? So, if they can help us, help us out, that'd be great,” he said during a news conference Saturday night.

Victims in the arboretum

Investigators believe the incident began as two people shooting at each other and that the 12 victims were struck by the gunfire. Police do not believe either of the original shooters was among those injured, Chief Heffernan said.

Of the 12 people shot, two were critically injured but all of the victims are expected to survive, police said. The average age of those injured was in the 20s.

Toledo police responded at 5:37 p.m. to reports of a shooting in the area of Delaware and Glenwood. The investigation also included scenes near Delaware and Robinwood avenues. 

Emergency crews first on scene assessed a number of victims near the gazebo in the the Agnes Reynolds Jackson Arboretum at Delaware and Robinwood.  

A 32-year member of the police department, Lt. Gerken said he had never been to a crime scene were 12 people had been shot.

“I’ve been around the police department for a long time. As far as violence, this is over the top,” he said.

Allison Armstrong, chief of the Toledo Fire & Rescue Department, said her crews faced multiple challenges, between the number of victims and the size of the scene. 

“It was a large festival area, roads are closed, and then people are leaving the scene, which makes it difficult for us to get our rigs in and out,” she said. 

According to Chief Armstrong, despite the challenges faced by first responders, crews were able to assess, treat, and transport more than a dozen patients within an hour. 

“The Toledo Police Department helped us treat those patients,” she said. “They applied tourniquets to some of them, and to my best knowledge, four to five were considered critical, and all the patients were off the scene within an hour, which is pretty impressive, given the scope of things and the challenges that the crews face.”

A plea for help

Police officials were cautiously optimistic about their chances of catching those involved, but they stressed their success would be connected with the level of support they receive from the community.

“I’m feeling good about where we’re at right now, but we’re gonna need the community’s help when the time comes,” Lt. Gerken said. “A bunch of people were out there. They can probably help us with our investigation.”

City of Toledo Director of Public Safety George Kral echoed Lt. Gerken’s sentiment.

“There were several hundred people there tonight. Everybody has one of these,” he said Saturday, holding up his cell phone. “I know in my heart that footage is out there, so I am imploring my fellow Toledoans to look through your cell phone video and reach out to TPD and help them catch the people who did this.” 

“This is one of the most iconic festivals in Toledo, and it’s a shame that something like this had to ruin it,” he said. “So, please, I know there’s information out there, please help us help you.” 

Mr. Kral said there are mechanisms in place to ensure the safety of potential tipsters.

“We have Crime Stopper, that is completely anonymous,” he said. “I challenge anyone who resides in this city that does not have a friend who is a Toledo police officer, and can reach out and have those one-on-one conversations. If someone is worried about their personal safety, we can take care of that.”

End this behavior

Toledo City Councilman John Hobbs III praised the efforts of first responders and said Saturday’s events are “not a reflection of what our city is and what we stand for.”

“We are hoping that as a community we will come together and get this solved quickly,” he said. “There has to be a tone set early on with summer just starting that this type of behavior will not be tolerated, and if anyone is thinking about doing something like this, the community is going to respond quickly to put an end to this type of behavior.”

“Everybody has to treat people like they would like to be treated,” Chief Heffernan said. “If we have some people out there, some groups of young people that are thinking that this is exciting, it’s not. This is a perfect example of how when bullets start flying, they can go anywhere, they can strike anybody.”

The chief said the department already had plans in place to try to mitigate violence this summer. 

“We’re going to be out there. We’ve already made some plans to do some community outreach, especially with the juveniles in this city. To do some more community policing and outreach to them about violence and the consequences of violence like this,” he said.

Visiting Toledo for the festival

Josh Trumm, 34, of Fort Wayne, Ind., was at his mother’s Old West End home on Scottwood Avenue at the time of the shooting.

“I did not hear anything, but I did notice a lot of people moving away from the area,” he said. 

Mr. Trumm grew up in Ottawa Hills and lived in the Old West End for several years before moving to Fort Wayne. He planned his trip to Toledo this year to coincide with the festival.

“My main memories of the festival are from after I had graduated and my mom moved into the neighborhood,” he said. “After a little while living here, she would put on an event she would call the Most Happening House — 12 hours of live music on her front porch — specifically during the festival.”

In all of his years at the festival, Mr. Trumm cannot recall violence of this magnitude. 

“It is terrible,” he said. “I remember, in recent years, I would hear about fights and stuff like that. But whenever you have large groups of people and alcohol, and God knows what else, there is always going to be a risk of that. But it has never escalated into this.”

In announcing their decision Saturday night to cancel the festival on Sunday, organizers said the decision was made “after discussion with festival organizers, law enforcement, and the city of Toledo.”

“Too often we turn on the news and learn of a celebration somewhere that turns into a tragedy. Now, that news comes from our own neighborhood,” said Dan Finkel, the public relations chairman for the festival. “We are heartbroken about those that were injured at the Old West End Festival. Many people want to know how we proceed from such a dark place.” 

“We feel that it would not be compassionate, responsible, or possible to continue festival,” he said. “Therefore, all festival events for Sunday are canceled.”

An East Toledo man was stabbed after forcing his way into a South Toledo apartment Saturday afternoon.

Around 1:30 p.m., Donald Bodi, 25, of Digby Street, forced his way into a locked front door in the 1100 block of Pinebrook Parkway while an unnamed female was home, according to Toledo police.

The victim stabbed Mr. Bodi in the abdomen, police said. He was transported to a nearby medical facility and is expected to survive.

The victim was not injured.

Mr. Bodi has been charged with aggravated burglary, police said.

ABOARD THE BIG BOY — From ATVs in fields to cars on roads and from a scissor lift next to industrial buildings, throngs of people waved and cheered Saturday as the Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 rumbled across part of northwest Ohio.

To the extent he could, engineer Ed Dickens waved or whistled back. He even made an unannounced stop at a rural crossing in Hancock County, where a group of antique steam threshers had brought their own steam engines to watch the largest one in the world go by.

“A steam locomotive is a machine that has a feeling that it’s alive,” Mr. Dickens, the Union Pacific’s senior manager of heritage operations, said after the Big Boy and its train made a brief stop in Fostoria during a leg of a cross-country journey to celebrate the United States’ 250th birthday.

“You can see the engineer, you can see the fireman, so there’s a real human connection,” Mr. Dickens said. “It really is a special way to connect with the public. We get to see millions of people from this train.”

While the locomotive is moving, Mr. Dickens and the engine’s fireman, Ted Schulte, laser-focus on their jobs. Mr. Dickens controls the Big Boy’s throttle and brake and blows the whistle, and Mr. Schulte makes sure the boiler is getting enough oil at the right pressure while also serving as a second set of eyes on the track ahead.

When built, the Big Boy burned coal to make steam for its propulsion, but during its mid-2010s restoration, Union Pacific converted it to burn oil, which is easier to refuel at remote locations. The whirl of its pistons, chuff of its exhaust, and low cry of its steam whistle didn’t change.

Leaving Continental, the train traveled at a relatively leisurely 25 mph. But toward the end of the run to Fostoria, Mr. Dickens was able to let the locomotive stretch out the train up to 40 mph. A breeze through the open windows kept the crew cool even as the firebox in front of the cab flickered with orange.

Cars lined up at every crossing over the roughly 45-mile run and people with smart phones and cameras dotted the fields. One family waved from their back porch at a house in Leipsic, while countless people watched from a cemetery in McComb.

The only creature not watching and waving was a deer that dashed across a wheat field, away from the chuffing and whistling.

Mr. Dickens estimated he’s seen well over a million people already since the train left Cheyenne on Memorial Day, and the Big Boy’s trip to Philadelphia and back has well over a month to go.

“It’s likely our eyes will have seen 5 or 6 million people by the time we’re done,” the engineer said.

The crew’s only concern about the crowds is that some stand too close to the tracks. They wear badges emphasizing that onlookers should stand back at least 25 feet.

For movement on Norfolk Southern tracks, the locomotive also had a pilot crew from that company whose role was to make sure the Union Pacific crew are aware of the track layout, signals, and speed limits they’ll encounter along the way.

“It’s pretty neat. It’s hot, and it’s a little dirtier than I’m used to,” Russ McGregor, a 28-year railroad veteran from Fort Wayne, said while aboard the train. “But it’s like driving an old car, and I’m an old car kind of guy.”

And Savannah Kruckenberg, who as pilot engineer sat immediately behind Mr. Dickens, said riding the Big Boy was “one of the coolest experiences of my life.”

“It’s all about the history and the nostalgia,” she said.

FOSTORIA — When train aficionado John Vogelpohl received an email about the Big Boy’s arrival, he had one thought: “We’re going to Fostoria.”

“I follow all this stuff,” the Columbus-area resident said. “It’s just an amazing machine. It’s a must see.”

The Union Pacific No. 4014, also known as the Big Boy, is embarking on its cross-country trip recognizing the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Starting its run from Wyoming, it’s headed to Philadelphia for a celebratory event on July 4.

But on the way, it made a historic stop Saturday in Fostoria. 

Some camped overnight at the Iron Triangle Rail Park to stake out a prime view. Jeremy Camp, who drove from Columbus, arrived at 4 p.m. Friday to claim a spot. He slept on a large folding chair by the tracks.

“I slept right here, right against the railing all night long,” Mr. Camp said. “It’s worth it.”

Mr. Camp wasn’t the only one to watch Saturday’s sunrise from the rail park. Many others came from out of state, including Michigan, Kentucky, Georgia, and Massachusetts.

John Hatch arrived at 6 a.m. from Rochester, N.Y., to see the locomotive. He celebrated his birthday with the Big Boy viewing, which he considered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“I’ve always been interested in trains,” Mr. Hatch said. “There’s nothing as big or as incredible in size and power.”  

Ellen Gatrell, the secretary-treasurer of the Fostoria Rail Preservation Society, likened the event to a super bowl for the “train city” looking to expand its rail tourism industry.

“It’s proving we are playing with the big boys,” she said. “We have been jumping up and down forever saying we can do something here in tourism. And now, we’re proving it.” 

An array of local vendors came out for the festivities, selling sandwhiches, donuts, lemonades, and coffees. 

Jeremy Weidner, owner of the Rival Q Barbecue food truck, added a Big Boy Special to his menu — an all-beef hot dog covered in pulled pork and coleslaw. 

“It’s just a great local gathering for everybody,” Mr. Weidner said of the Big Boy’s arrival. “We wanted to come out and be a part of it. Give some barbecue back to the community.”

Two hours of morning downpour did not dampen onlookers’ enthusiasm. As the skies cleared up around noon, thousands began lining along the railroad tracks. 

At 2:21 p.m., the Big Boy pulled in amid cheers and applause, all drowned out by its gutteral whistle blares.

Toledoan Makena Senzon was struck by the clouds of billowing smoke and the sheer might of the locomotive’s build.

“I was just encountered with 1.2 million pounds of pure steel,” Ms. Senzon said.

Zach Pomles came to Fostoria from Columbus for his second viewing of the Big Boy. He had been following the train from the morning, first catching it in Oakwood, Ohio, at a river crossing. 

“It’s a modern marvel of engineering,” Mr. Pomles said. “Seeing something like this in full service to modern standards is impressive.”

Union Pacific No. 4014 was one of 25 of its class built at the American Locomotive Co. in Schenectady, N.Y., in the early 1940s to move freight trains over the mountains of Wyoming and Utah. It is essentially two steam engines in one, and weighs 1.2 million pounds.

Although several others were preserved after diesel locomotives replaced steam power on the Union Pacific Railroad, the 4014 is the only Big Boy restored to operating condition. Union Pacific bought it back from a California museum in 2014 and restored it in time for a 150th anniversary celebration in 2019 of the Golden Spike on the United States’ first transcontinental railroad.

In the rural Putnam County village of Continental, Ohio, scores of people awaited the Big Boy’s earlier arrival. Many held umbrellas while others huddled under shelter at a bank’s drive-up lanes. As soon as the rain let up, thousands more emerged from vehicles.

Several blocks near the railroad tracks were cordoned off and lined with people in folding picnic chairs while the fragrance of grilled food wafted overhead.

“We came because little man’s all about trains,” said Vincent Eitniear, of Defiance, referring to nephew Lucas Bremer, 7, who said he wants to be a train conductor when he grows up.

Others traveled much farther to see the mammoth locomotive whistle into town for a half-hour watering stop.

“We all love trains. When we heard about it [coming here], it was a big deal,” said Craig Pence, who drove up from Botkins, Ohio, to have a hearty breakfast at Continental’s Legion hall with a half-dozen relatives.

Like many of the crowd’s railroad buffs, Mr. Pence said he never expected to see a live Big Boy in Ohio.

Chris Kaisler and Rebecca Pelton drove 400 miles from Neenah, Wis., to see it, saying they preferred to make the trip rather than see it earlier this week in Chicago.

“This was going to be the best place to see it for more time, and in a smaller city,” Mr. Kaisler said, noting that it’s Ms. Pelton who is the railroad enthusiast of the couple.

“Next year, we’re going to try to go see Formula One [auto racing] for me,” he said.

Continental Mayor Mathew Miller was pleased with Saturday’s turnout.

“Barring Mother Nature, and she’s not doing too bad, this is going really well,” the mayor said before the train’s scheduled 11:45 a.m. arrival.

The trip from Chicago to Fort Wayne, Ind., on Friday marked the first movement of a Big Boy under its own power east of Chicago. The trip Saturday was to end in Bellevue, Ohio, where the locomotive is to remain at a Norfolk Southern rail yard until Monday morning, when it will travel to Conneaut, Ohio, with several stops along the way.

No public access will be available in Bellevue. The closest stop Monday to the Toledo area will be in Lorain, Ohio, where the train is scheduled to pause from 11:15 to 11:30 a.m.

Although the Big Boy only stayed in Fostoria for 15 minutes this time, its return from Philadelphia includes a scheduled stop in Fostoria on the afternoon of July 13 for a private railroad event.

On July 14, it will be open for public display from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Norfolk Southern’s Automotive Distribution Center northeast of Fostoria. Admission will be free, with no tickets required.

“I’m coming back on the 14th, without a doubt,” said Mr. Pomles, who came from Columbus. 

The locomotive then will resume its westward journey on July 15 with a 9 a.m. departure from Fostoria and another stop in Continental scheduled from 11:30 a.m. until noon. After an overnight layover in Fort Wayne, it is scheduled to run back to Chicago on July 16.

Timothy Yoder, proprietor of a Holland machine shop that works on parts for the Big Boy, was in Continental to view his handiwork Saturday and said he’ll be back for the return visit.

“I’ve seen all the machinery turn the axles and wheels,” he said. “This is great. This is a one-time get. And when it comes back, I’ll be down here then, too.”

Families attend the 100th anniversary of the Waterville Branch at the Waterville Branch Library in Waterville on Saturday.

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Kids turn out for Perrysburg’s annual fishing Derby at Three Meadows Pond in Perrysburg on Saturday.

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