A 2-year-old boy was shot twice in the lower chest Friday evening at 13th and Vine streets in Over-the-Rhine, an accidental victim of what police described as a “running gunbattle.”

        The boy, whose identity was not released, was taken by relatives to Children's Hospital Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition.

        Police were searching for two men they want to question.

Police comb the area where a 2-year-old boy was shot Friday. (Enquirer photo) | ZOOM |

        One was identified as Dominick K. Mitchem, 23, who is believed to live at 14th and Race streets. The other man's identity was not known, but he was described as black, 5 feet, 7 inches tall, 155 pounds, and wearing gray shorts.

        “They came down the street shooting. It's time for me to move,” said Teresa Smith, 42, a 24-year resident of Over-the-Rhine. She would not give a street address because she fears for her safety.

        She said she saw a car going down Vine Street with men shooting guns in the air.

        She is a member of a group that walks the streets in Over-the-Rhine at night to try to stop violence.

        “Whoever did this should get hung for shooting a child,” she said. “We are out here every night to get the violence to stop, but it isn't doing any good. Just look what happened here.”

        The shooting happened about 7:30 p.m. The boy was believed to have been either on the sidewalk or in the street.

        Cincinnati Police Lt. Kurt Byrd said he does not believe the shooting was intentional. It was likely a gunbattle between two groups, he said. Witnesses told police it was a running gunbattle, but police did not have specifics.

        “Whenever we have a 2-year-old shot, it is tragic,” Lt. Byrd said. “It does take the violence to a new level.”

        Friday's shooting brings the total to 78 victims of shootings in 60 separate incidents in the city since the protests and riots of April 9-12.

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