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Gunfire At Ohio Vigil For Homicide Victim Kills 1, Hurts 5

REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio (AP) — Gunfire killed one person and injured five others at an Ohio strip mall parking lot where a memorial vigil was being held to honor another person killed a year ago at the same location, authorities said.

Columbus police Lt. Dan Hargus confirmed one person was pronounced dead at 7:50 p.m. Saturday and five others were injured in what appeared to be a drive-by shooting in a parking lot of a Truro Township shopping plaza southeast of the city, the Columbus Dispatch reported. All of the injured were in stable condition, he said.

Jacqueline Bailey, 67, who lives in an apartment building across the road from the shopping plaza, told the newspaper that someone in a westbound sport utility vehicle suddenly opened fire on the group gathered for the memorial vigil and then drove off.

Mayor Andrew Ginther posted a message on Twitter decrying the violence "by someone who opened fire at a vigil for another homicide victim."

"Enough! Put down the guns," Ginther said. "We must come together to end the violence that is tearing our community apart. Share what you know with police to get dangerous criminals off the street."

Columbus police and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation responded to the scene; the Franklin County sheriff's office is leading the investigation. No arrests were immediately reported.

(Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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