Rep. Bryant Bailey Condemns East End Mass Shooting, Calls for Action to Prevent Gun Violence

COLUMBUS — State Rep. Ashley Bryant Bailey (D-Cincinnati) today issued the following statement in response to the mass shooting at the Riverfront Live venue in Cincinnati's East End that left nine people injured early Sunday morning:

“The mass shooting at the Riverfront Live concert venue is heartbreaking and intolerable. What should have been a night of music and celebration became another reminder of how fragile safety can feel in our backyard. I am praying for every person who was hurt and for the families now carrying fear and uncertainty. 

I am grateful to the Cincinnati Police Department, Fire Department, and emergency medical teams who responded quickly and prevented an even greater tragedy. Their swift action matters. But we cannot ignore the bigger truth: this kind of violence is far too common. It feels like we are at war here at home. We cannot continue to show up only after the worst happens. We need guns off our streets. We need real investment in wraparound services for our young people. We need good-paying jobs so families can thrive, and access to quality mental health care so trauma is treated before it turns into violence.

 Violence does not happen in a vacuum. It grows where neglect, hopelessness, and easy access to weapons intersect. As leaders, our responsibility is not just to mourn, it is to prevent. Cincinnati deserves safety, stability, and solutions that ensure we are not forced to gather in grief again.”