By Jane Prendergast
The Cincinnati Enquirer

OVER-THE-RHINE - The shooting of a 7-year-old girl Sunday left investigators piecing together evidence and politicians calling for more anti-violence help.

Eninja Mincy, a second-grader at Vine Street Elementary, improved Monday at Children's Hospital Medical Center, where her condition was upgraded from stable to fair. She was riding a bicycle and playing with her cousins outside an aunt's apartment on McMicken Street when she was hit in the hand by a bullet, which continued into the right side of her chest.

"There should be a hue and cry from every corner of the city,'' said Mayor Charlie Luken. "It is unthinkable that a child would get shot while at play on a Cincinnati street.''

Police were waiting Monday afternoon for results of ballistics tests and to talk more to the man they think was the intended target of the shots. That man, David Johnston, 39, was uncooperative at the scene. Investigators think he was intoxicated and unable to help, said Lt. Jack Kraft, supervisor of District 1 investigators.

Johnston, who listed his address as a nearby halfway house run by Volunteers of America, was arguing with Donald Stevenson, 21, of Bond Hill, and Wayne Thornton, 22, of McMicken Street. Police said Stevenson went inside and got a gun, came out and started shooting.

"This was nothing more than your average street-side argument,'' said Capt. James Whalen, District 1 commander. He credited Eninja's uncles with helping police find the suspects. Police said the suspects ran into a nearby building, kicked open someone's door and hid in the apartment, holding a couple inside against their will.

Stevenson and Thornton had not been charged as of late Monday with the shooting. Kraft said detectives needed more information first.

Both men have felony drug records. Stevenson was sent to prison in 2001 for six months after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine.

Thornton was sent to prison for crack possession in 2003. He was sentenced last June to 18 months, but was released five months later.

The shooting prompted Vice Mayor Alicia Reece to again focus on her goal that the police department reinstate its former gang unit.

She also pointed out that she and other African-American council members pitched a program earlier this year to curb black-on-black violence, but it failed when it came to a vote.

Councilman David Pepper, chairman of the Law & Public Safety Committee, said that he will talk today at the group's meeting about his plan to call together all the city-funded agencies that do anti-violence programs for youth.

He wants to know what each of them does so the city can figure out what, if anything, still should be done.

"There's just too many youth out there,'' he said, "who are getting caught up in this violence, both as victims and suspects.''

The city's Neighborhood and Public Services Committee held a meeting at the Over-the-Rhine Recreation Center on Monday night to discuss revitalization efforts in the neighborhood.

Residents and council members agreed that safety and prosperity in the neighborhood go hand-in-hand.

"The violence has got to be dealt with seriously," said Judi Mendriski, secretary of the neighborhood community council. "We have too much tragedy in Over-the-Rhine.

"It adds to the perception that Over-the-Rhine is not liveable, and we are trying to change that perception," she said.

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Kevin Aldridge contributed to this report. E-mail jprendergast@enquirer.com