CINCINNATI (AP) — A fatal shooting put an abrupt end to a youth football tournament organized to promote nonviolence in city neighborhoods.
Earnest Crear, 19, was in a group of young adults gathered on a street several hundred feet away from where spectators were watching the games Sunday when he was shot twice, officials said. Police said three suspects were seen fleeing the scene.
“Once the shots rang out, you could see parents immediately going to the aid of their children,” said Cecil Thomas, a City Council member who was at the games.
The children’s event, dubbed the “Peace Bowl,” brought together 14 teams from youth organizations. The athletes were between 6 and 12 years old. Mr. Thomas said the Peace Bowl was an initiative of the Cincinnati Human Relations Commission and other community groups intended to quell violence in city neighborhoods with athletic competition and family involvement.
The shooting wasn’t believed to be linked to the tournament, and organizers pledged to continue the event in the future.
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