RELATED: Police say 9 shot at Columbus party was result of an argument
Five women and four men were hospitalized after being struck by gunfire that broke out at J&R Party Hall in north Columbus, which officials indicated occurred after an argument erupted inside the rental facility.
Police aren’t sure what people were arguing about or why the party hall had been rented out, but say they believe alcohol was involved, according to reports in the Columbus Dispatch.
Eight of the nine victims were in stable condition as of Sunday afternoon, while the ninth was listed in serious condition.
Alcohol consumption and intoxication often precede the misuse of firearms, and several recent shootings in the region have happened in or outside of bars or nightclubs, or followed confrontations and fights that began inside of these businesses.
RELATED: Dispute ‘escalated into shots being fired’ at Cameo in Cincinnati
The night club violence in Cincinnati, which included two victims from Trotwood, has been described as the worst mass shooting in the city’s history.
Last July, eight people were shot, one fatally, during a shooting at Doubles Bar in Hamilton.
More recently, 20-year-old babysitter Taylor Brandenburg was fatally shot outside a Dayton home, allegedly by a man who opened fire in retaliation for a bar fight he was in just just minutes earlier.
RELATED: Babysitter ‘true victim’ in Dayton homicide, police say
Leaders around the state gave condolences to the victims from Sunday’s violence.
“Like many today, we will hug our family a little tighter after this devastating news and hope the families of the victims will be able to do the same very soon,” said U.S. Sen Sherrod Brown in a statement.
At about 3:20 a.m. Sunday, an argument in J&R Party Hall led to an unknown suspect or suspects opening fire, Columbus police said.
Nine people were shot and transported to the hospital.
The female victims have been identified as Sharda Hall, 25; Brooklyn Bradley, 20; Diamond Harris, 33; Corneicia M. Pruitt, 25; and Kaadijah Travis, 23. The males are Ja’Voughn Henderson, 22; Keante McGrew, 31; William Boswell, 27; and Jawaun McCrae, 20.
Columbus police are interviewing people wounded in the shooting and other witnesses, but they say they haven’t been helpful and some have refused to cooperate, according to the Associated Press.
Shootings at or outside alcohol establishments are a fairly frequent occurrence across southwest Ohio.
Trotwood residents Jarrod Givens and Jordan “Lyrik” Hardaway were among the injured on March 26 during a shooting at Cameo Night Club in Cincinnati.
RELATED: 2 victims in club shooting are from Dayton area
O’Bryan Spikes, 27, died during the gun battle, while Deondre Davis, 29, — a suspect in the shooting — later died at the hospital.
Cornell Beckley, 27, has pleaded not guilty to two murder charges and three dozen other charges related to the Cameo shooting.
“Several local man got into some type of dispute inside the bar and it escalated into shots being fired from several individuals,” Cincinnati police Chief Eliot Isaac said last month at a press conference.
“This is a tragedy that has struck other communities and now it has struck Cincinnati,” said Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley.
Arguments and fist fights at bars and clubs can turn into deadly gun violence in an instant.
In February, a man who was kicked out of a bar for fighting went to his vehicle, retrieved a gun, and shot one person at Liquid Sport Club in Harrison Twp., according to a 911 call obtained by this news organization.
RELATED: Dayton man arraigned in February nightclub shooting
“We kicked (the alleged shooter) out (of) the bar because he was fighting,” a man said in the 911 call. “He ran back to his car, got his gun, and started shooting.”
Shaun D. Hill, 27, was indicted on one count each of felonious assault with a deadly weapon, felonious assault causing serious physical harm and having weapons while under disability prior drug conviction, in the incident. He entered a plea of not guilty during his March arraignment.
Also in February, two men were injured in a shooting outside the Whisky Barn bar in Harrison Twp.
RELATED: 2 men shot outside Whisky Barn bar
On July 24, more than 100 people were at Doubles Bar in Hamilton when gunfire erupted inside, injuring seven and killing Kalif Goens.
Just last week, a Butler County judge Monday sentenced the last of four men involved in the shooting to the maximum prison time.
RELATED: Judge gives max sentence in deadly Hamilton bar shooting
Following the incident, Hamilton leaders and police officials said the number of police calls and violence at Doubles was unacceptable and the city would look into taking action against the bar.
In November, the property owners announced plans to tear down the building and sell the land.
Leaders in communities across the region often try to take punitive action against bars and alcohol establishments that are the scenes of shootings and other violent crime.
The city of Dayton files objections to liquor permits when their holders do not ensure the safety and security of their patrons and that fail to follow the law, city officials said.
Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley on multiple occasions has said that having a liquor license is a privilege — not a right — and the city will fight to shut down irresponsible business owners and operators who do not do enough to prevent violence.
“It’s something we take very seriously,” Whaley said.
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