Over-the-Rhine has series of shootings

OVER-THE-RHINE - Cincinnati police were busy Monday with repeated emergency calls about shootings, all around the intersection of 15th and Race streets.

Dispatchers took several calls throughout the morning from people who heard gunshots. After one of those incidents, police tracked down the man they think was a suspect, but found him not carrying a weapon.

In a later shooting, about 2 p.m., 22-year-old Jerome Henderson was shot five or six times. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening, but officers said he could be paralyzed.

Evidence technicians found at least two kinds of spent bullets at that scene. Police have identified Shamel Thorton, 23, as the shooter and were looking for him Monday night.Anyone with information about Thorton can call Crime Stoppers at 352-3040.

Judge still refuses to release traffic study

A federal magistrate on Monday refused to release a study of whether Cincinnati police target black motorists for a disproportionate number of traffic stops.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael R. Merz said the University of Cincinnati study is part of the collaborative agreement between police, city officials and community leaders that settled a racial profiling lawsuit against the city.

Merz said parties in the collaborative should be able to review the study's findings for 45 days before the information is released to the public.

The decision Monday affirms Merz's decision two weeks ago to bar release of the study for 45 days. Attorneys for the city and for the Enquirer asked him to reconsider, arguing that the public has a right to the information now.

City middle managers hold union vote

Managerial and professional employees of the City of Cincinnati will vote today on whether to create a new labor union.

As many as 817 employees are eligible to vote in the election, supervised by the State Employment Relations Board.

The Cincinnati Organized and Dedicated Employees have waged a year-long campaign to unionize the middle managers after City Manager Valerie Lemmie cut overtime and restricted the use of "take-home" cars.

If a majority votes to unionize, the city will be required to bargain wages and other conditions of employment with the new union.

Driver killed after car hits fuel truck

ANDERSON TWP. - A Batavia man was killed Monday morning after the Cadillac he was driving went left of center and struck head-on a truck loaded with water and diesel fuel.

Tommy D. Reed, 46, was pronounced dead at the scene, Hamilton County sheriff's deputies said. The driver of the truck, Michael Sanker, 44, of Clermont County, was treated at Mercy Hospital-Anderson for minor injuries and released.

Reed's car was going west on Ohio 32 near Little Dry Run Road about 6:30 a.m. when it went left of center and was struck by the eastbound truck. The truck crushed the car, then slid into a ditch and overturned, catching fire, deputies said.

"We don't know why he went left of center at this point," Hamilton County sheriff's spokesman Steve Barnett said.

The truck's load did not spill, but Ohio 32 was closed for several hours while the wreck was cleared.

Prisoners indicted as LCI arsonists

LEBANON - A Warren County grand jury has indicted a pair of state prison inmates on allegations that they set a fire that injured three guards at Lebanon Correctional Institution earlier this year.

Tommy Meadows, 24, and David Kessler, 23, each face two counts of aggravated arson. They are accused of using bed sheets, paper and smuggled-in matches to start a May 7 blaze that forced evacuation of a cellblock at the state-run prison in Turtlecreek Township, said Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel.

Although the fire caused minimal damage, two guards were treated for smoke inhalation, while another suffered a broken hand while trying to quickly evacuate inmates, Hutzel said.

Meadows, of Hamilton County, is serving a 15 years-to-life sentence for the slaying of Gary Royce in Price Hill last year.

Kessler, of Shelby County, is serving a seven-year term for child endangering.

Both men have been transferred to the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility.

Police suspect dogs trained for fights

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP - Four pit bulls and a German shepherd were seized Monday from a Hamilton Township man who was arrested for allegedly training dogs for fighting.

Liam P. O'Grady was also charged with possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia and failing to maintain control of his dogs.

Hamilton Township Police say a search of O'Grady's Harrison Road residence and several outbuildings, allegedly used for training fighting dogs, turned up evidence of training equipment and a small amount of drugs.

O'Grady was taken to the Warren County Jail.

Additional charges might be filed, police said.

- Compiled from staff and wire reports