January 1, MANHUNT: Two Suspects on Loose After Mass Shooting Rocks Middle America Festival

Wyatt’s Take

• A mass shooting at a community festival in Toledo has left 12 Americans injured, with suspects still on the run days later — another example of unchecked violence plaguing our neighborhoods.
• Police say rival groups opened fire on each other near families and children attending a hometown event, turning Main Street America into a war zone.
• Authorities are offering serious cash rewards to track down the shooters, but many are asking why soft-on-crime policies keep letting dangerous criminals walk our streets.

Authorities on Wednesday identified a suspect in the shooting that injured 12 people near Toledo’s Old West End Festival and said they are searching for a suspected second gunman. The attack happened at what should have been a safe, family-friendly community gathering.

The Toledo Police Department said a manhunt is underway for Ka Nye Taylor, who is wanted on 11 counts of felonious assault in connection with the June 6 shooting near the popular Old West End Festival, an annual event featuring live music, food vendors and home tours. Police described Taylor as a Black male standing approximately 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing about 130 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.

Investigators also released a photo of a second suspected gunman who has not been publicly identified. Days after the shooting, both suspects remain at large — a reality that has left residents on edge.

Authorities responded around 5:37 p.m. Saturday to reports of a shooting near Delaware Avenue and Glenwood Avenue, close to the festival grounds. When officers arrived, they found multiple victims suffering from gunshot wounds, police said.

Authorities later confirmed that all 12 victims were in stable condition. The victims ranged in age from 14 to 61, with most in their early 20s. Among the wounded was a 14-year-old child — a stark reminder that innocent Americans are paying the price for lawlessness.

Investigators are asking anyone with information about Taylor’s whereabouts or the identity of the second suspected shooter to contact Crime Stoppers at 419-255-1111. Authorities are offering a combined reward of up to $15,000 for information leading to arrests.

Crime Stoppers is offering $10,000, while the U.S. Marshals Service has offered an additional reward of up to $5,000. The substantial bounty signals just how desperate authorities are to get these dangerous suspects off the streets.

Toledo Deputy Chief Joseph Heffernan said investigators believe at least two gunmen were involved.

“They were probably shooting at each other,” Heffernan said during a news conference.

Police said the gunfire erupted after a foot chase and assault involving two rival groups at the festival. Authorities said the shooting stemmed from a dispute between the groups — gang-related violence that put ordinary festival-goers in the crossfire.

Earlier this week, Lucas County Prosecutor Julia Bates vowed that “justice will be swift and strong.”

“Those who were frightened, traumatized or harmed by this violence will remain at the forefront of our efforts,” Bates said in a statement.

“I’ve felt outrage before, but this is personal. This is my home. These are my friends and neighbors. It is not OK.”

The prosecutor’s comments reflect the frustration felt by Americans across the heartland who just want to take their families to a summer festival without fearing for their lives.

Why It Matters

This shooting is a gut punch to Toledo and a reminder that no community is immune from the violence crisis sweeping America. Families should be able to enjoy a hometown festival without becoming collateral damage in gang warfare. When rival groups feel emboldened enough to open fire in broad daylight at a public event, something has gone terribly wrong with our justice system. Hardworking Americans deserve leaders who will lock up violent criminals and keep them locked up — not revolving-door policies that put thugs back on the street to terrorize our neighborhoods.