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3 people shot outside Whitmer HS football stadium; two possibly connected in custody, police say

Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz shared more details in a statement on Saturday, clarifying that no suspects have been placed in custody yet.

TOLEDO, Ohio — A Whitmer High School student and two adults - one male, one female - were shot outside of the Whitmer High School football stadium on Friday night during a game between Whitmer and Central Catholic, according to Washington Local Schools spokesperson Katie Peters.

All three were transported to a hospital and Toledo police said they are expected to recover.

No suspects are in custody, according to a joint statement from Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz, Washington Local Schools superintendent Kadee Anstadt, and Toledo police chief George Kral on Saturday.

On Friday night, Toledo police said two people were in custody and two outstanding were "possibly" connected to the shooting. Police later clarified that these arrests were not related to the shooting.

The shooting happened around 9:50 p.m. during the fourth quarter of the football game with 6:51 left on the clock.

More than 12 gunshots were heard at the southwest corner of the stadium near the main entrance at which time people in the stands and on the field began to take cover and flee in the opposite direction of the shooting. 

Police later found several bullet casings scattered on the ground behind the field house.

Credit: WTOL 11

"No guests were injured in the evacuation and we could not be prouder of our students, staff, Whitmer fans, and our guests from Central Catholic," Peters said in a statement on Friday night.

The game between Whitmer High School and Central Catholic High School was paused, with Central Catholic winning 46-16. A Whitmer coach told WTOL 11 the teams do not plan to finish the game

Peters' full statement on the incident can be read below:

An act of violence occurred outside the stadium at tonight's football game between Central Catholic and Whitmer. At this time, we know that three people were shot, including two adults and one Whitmer student and were transported to a local hospital to be treated for their injuries. No guests were injured in the evacuation and we could not be prouder of our students, staff, Whitmer fans, and our guests from Central Catholic. The Whitmer Athletic policy of wanding and screening all guests was enforced and the WLS pre-established safety plan was initiated immediately. We will update as further information becomes available.

In a video statement on Friday night, Central Catholic High School's Head of School, Kevin Parkins, said junior varsity and freshman football games for Saturday would be canceled.

Parkins said the Central Catholic student body will gather on Tuesday to "talk to them, support them, but also pray."

"This is an opportunity too, as parents, guardians, for you to also engage your child in a conversation," Parkins said.

He also encouraged parents and guardians to reach out to Central Catholic administration and counselors over the weekend while discussing the incident with their children.

On Saturday afternoon, Toledo mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz, Toledo police chief George Kral, and and WLS superintendent Kadee Anstadt shared more details about the investigation into the shooting in a statement on social media. 

According to the post, all three victims are expected to make a full recovery, and only sustained minor injuries. Additionally, no suspects are currently in custody in relation to the shooting. However, the statement continued to say that surveillance footage has been helpful in the ongoing investigation.

"We are thankful that no one was seriously injured," said the post, "but we will not rest until those involved are brought to justice - and events like this never happen again."

Last night was a terrible and traumatic event. Thankfully what can be said about what happened at the Whitmer / Central...

Posted by Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz on Saturday, October 8, 2022

Washington Local Schools did not release the name of the student victim while the police investigation is ongoing but multiple social media posts by family and friends as well as a GoFundMe indicate it was Taylor Alspaugh, a senior at Whitmer. 

In a video statement shared Saturday afternoon, Whitmer Principal, Jennifer Bronikowski, reminded students that they are safe, loved, and cared for. Bronikowski shard her pride for her students, praising them for showing care for each other during the incident, and for following safety procedures.

Mental health services will be provided on Sunday, Oct. 9, from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. in the senior lounge at Whitmer High School.

Classes will resume on Monday, Oct. 10.

Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to call or text Crime Stoppers at 419-255-1111. You may be eligible for a cash reward up to $5,000.

This is a developing story. Stay with WTOL 11 for the latest updates.

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