Maple Heights Police Department is responding to a shooting that left two women injured yesterday afternoon in the parking lot of the Maple Heights Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library. Officers arrived at the scene around 3:20 p.m. following several 911 calls about an argument and subsequent gunfire, as reported by cleveland.com. A 20-year-old woman and a 22-year-old woman were found with gunshot wounds and were taken to MetroHealth Medical Center for treatment.
The altercation seems to have escalated quickly when one of the women drew a firearm during the argument. A gun was recovered at the scene, and the conditions of the women, who have not been named, were not immediately available. Anyone with information regarding the incident is urged to contact the Maple Heights Detective Bureau, as detailed in a statement obtained by WKYC.
This shooting has resounded in the community, shaking the sense of security that such civic spaces as a library should ostensibly provide. "I thought libraries are supposed to be a safe place," Aaliyah Kimble, a student, told Cleveland19 News. "and I don‘t even know if there were kids in there. If there were kids in there that’s even crazier." In the wake of the violence, parent Lamar Kimble expressed his dismay, stating to the Cleveland19 News, "To hear there was a double shooting up here is crazy. I’ve lived here almost my whole life and it seems like the violence is just everywhere."
Authorities are actively trying to unravel the genesis of the altercation and the circumstances that led to the shooting. As the investigation continues, the Maple Heights branch has temporarily closed its doors, leaving residents to contend with the incident's repercussions. According to the Cuyahoga County Public Library website, the library will remain closed today. Police are keeping tight-lipped on the details as they gather more information and are asking the public to come forward with any knowledge that could be pertinent to the case.
