‘I can’t believe my brother is really gone’: Family of OTR shooting victim shocked

CINCINNATI (FOX19) - Family of one of the victims from Sunday’s shooting in Over-The-Rhine is reeling after the loss of their loved one.

Cincinnati police say 11 victims were shot at Grant Park in OTR.

One person was pronounced dead at the scene and a second person died at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, according to police.

Robert Rogers, 34, and Jaquiez Grant, 30, were killed in the shooting, police say.

“This pain hurts deep,” said one of Rodgers’ sisters, Reed, “My brother, he was a nice guy, he looked out for everyone.”

Reed, who did not want to give her full name out of fear, says she was working out when she heard her brother was killed.

“Then my mama and my cousin called me back to back. I had that gut feeling something was wrong so I called my cousin and she was screaming like ‘Your brother dead. Your brother dead.’”

Police say the incident which took place just after 2 a.m. Sunday is still under investigation.

“I can’t believe my brother is really gone. My oldest brother, my backbone, I really can’t believe he’s really gone,” said Reed.

An officer told FOX19 that authorities found six different types of shell casings at this scene, indicating several guns were used during the shooting.

Redd says Rogers leaves behind seven siblings and his two daughters.

“Nobody’s supposed to lose their father,” she says.

“Robert, I love you brother, I wish this never happened to you,” said Reed, “I just pray me and my family get through this because we are going through a lot right now.”

Police say at least 19 people were shot including the four who were killed after several shootings in Cincinnati that happened Saturday night through Sunday morning.

“What we have is one extremely violent night in the city of Cincinnati,” Assistant Cheif of police Paul Neudigate said. “Why? That’s going to be the question. We just don’t know.”

A spokesperson for Cincinnati police says the department will shift officers from other assignments to increase the number of uniformed officers in the impacted neighborhoods as they work to determine who was responsible for the Sunday shootings.

Lt. Steve Saunders also says CPD will work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms to go after repeat shooters and bring illegal gun charges to address the increase in gun violence in Cincinnati.

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