Despite back-to-back shooting incidents downtown this week, shootings and violent crime remain down in Cincinnati compared to last year.
Chief Jeffrey Blackwell says police are stepping up patrols throughout the summer anyway to make sure people feel, and are, safe downtown.
"We're going to have a comprehensive incident command-based plan as we move forward to address every weekend event that we have from now through Labor Day and beyond even through Oktoberfest," says Blackwell.
Blackwell says increasing the heat, poverty, and especially reckless youth behavior are to blame for the problems here and in other big towns dealing with major gun violence, like the past holiday weekend in Chicago.
Blackwell notes, "our crime statistics will indicate that shootings are down 20 percent this year and violent crime is down over 21 percent."
