Cincinnati Mass Shooting Victims Identified; Police Looking Into Shooter's Background

Friday, September 7, 2018 at 8:13 AM

By Mike Perleberg @mikedup84

Four of the five victims - three of whom died - have been identified by either authorities or family.

Omar Enrique Santa-Perez

(Cincinnati, Oh.) – Cincinnati’s Fountain Square will reopen Friday, just a day after a gunman opened fire at civilians at the nearby Fifth Third Center.

A vigil for the three people killed in Thursday’s mass shooting will happen at 4:00 p.m. Friday at Fountain Square. The Hamilton County Coroner's Office has identified those victims who lost their lives as 25-year-old Pruthvi Raj Kandepi, 64-year-old Richard Newcomer, and 48-year-old Luis Felipe Calderón.

Two other people were wounded. A 37-year-old Louisville woman, Whitney Austin, is in stable condition after being shot 12 times. She works for Fifth Third Bank.

A man is in critical condition at University of Cincinnati Medical Center. He has not been identified.

Ohio Governor John Kasich has ordered flags in Ohio to be lowered to half-staff until Monday.

There was a senseless act of gun violence on the streets of Cincinnati this morning. I’ve spoken with the Mayor and informed him the state will provide any necessary resources to the local police. 1/
— John Kasich (@JohnKasich) September 6, 2018

We are learning more about gunman Omar Enrique Santa-Perez, who was fatally shot by officers responding to the shooting. He is believed to have acted alone in carrying out the massacre.

Cincinnati Police say he lived in an apartment on Miami Avenue in North Bend. Investigators searched the home for evidence within hours of the shooting, finding nothing dangerous.

The 29-year-old has been living in the area since at least 2015.

Mental health issues may be at play. Court records indicate Santa-Perez sued NBC Universal twice this year, claiming his personal information was stolen and broadcast on MSNBC. Both suits were thrown out, with one judge calling the motion rambling and delusional.

Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters said Santa-Perez used a 9mm handgun in the attack. He carried a couple hundred rounds of ammunition, which Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac acknowledged could have resulted in many more victims if not for the heroic officers.

“This is a horrific incident and we really are grateful to the quick and decisive actions of the officers and fire personnel who responded,” said Isaac.

Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley credited police and firefighters for their heroic actions, running into the bank lobby to confront the shooter. He told reporters that such shootings should not be viewed as normal.

“No other industrialized country has this level of multiple active shootings on a regular basis, almost on a daily basis,” Cranley said.

Fifth Third Bank has asked employees at the Fifth Third Center to stay home Friday.