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Four people died, including the shooter, as a result of what the police called an active shooting situation in downtown Cincinnati.
It happened Thursday around 9 am at Fifth Center on Walnut Street, a 30-story building that houses the Fifth Third Bancorp regional banker and other businesses.
Police said the gunman, identified by several law enforcement forces as Omar Perez, 29, entered the building through a loading dock and headed towards the lobby of the building. building.
Perez shot five people. Three people were killed by the shooter, officials said, and two others were wounded.
Perez was confronted by four Cincinnati police officers inside the building, officials said, and a shooting began.
Perez was killed during the shooting, said Cincinnati Police Chief Elliot Isaac. Isaac added that the shooter acted alone and that there is no more threat to the public.
No officer was injured in the incident and Perez's mobile remains unclear.
"It could have been a bloodbath beyond imagination," said Hamilton County Attorney Joe Deters.
Deters added that Perez had several hundred cartridges on him and congratulated the Cincinnati police for their response.
"It could have been a lot worse. The people of this city should simply thank a cop when they see them because what they did today was just amazing, "said Deters.
Deters said several policemen had fired through the glass of the building to try to thwart an active shooting situation.
Officials from the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office confirm that they are searching the apartment of the now-armed man who died in North Bend, Ohio, a sleepy community on the west side of Cincinnati.
Police confirm that Perez was not a current or former employee of the bank.
According to officials at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, the hospital has received a total of four victims: three men and one woman. Two of these patients are among the dead, officials said, one is in serious condition and the other is in critical condition.
"Once again, our doctors and staff are focused on patients and their families, we are preparing for such situations and hopefully they will never happen, our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families and their families. all
Chaos has unfolded along Fountain Square, the busy park in the center of the city.
Witnesses in the area described a chaotic walk at work, hearing more than a dozen gunshots ringing during the morning rush.
Several nearby buildings have been locked out as the situation evolves. SWAT teams have scanned several of these buildings to ensure their safety and search for possible additional victims.
Senator Rob Portman issued a brief statement as details develop, saying in part that "My staff and I are following the situation in Cincinnati, if you are in town, please follow the first responders' instructions for the safety of everyone involved, Jane and I hope for a peaceful resolution soon."
Fifth Third Bank officials released a statement following the shooting, stating in part "Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in this terrible event, and we continue to work with law enforcement to keep our employees and customers safe.We thank our neighbors in Cincinnati and the country for their support and concerns. "
WLWT has several teams on the scene and will update this story as details become available.
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