A woman was shot inside the Cuyahoga Falls Natatorium on Sunday morning in what police describe as a targeted, domestic-related attack, and the suspect fled the scene before officers arrived. The city-owned recreation complex at 2345 Fourth Street will stay closed for the rest of Sunday and all day Monday while investigators process the crime scene.
Cuyahoga Falls police officers were called to the Natatorium after reports of a shooting, according to a police news release cited by Cleveland.com. Investigators believe the shooting stemmed from a domestic situation and that the suspect targeted a specific victim before running off, according to WKYC. Authorities identified the suspect as Craig Alan Sipe, 63, of Akron, on Sunday; the victim's identity and condition were not immediately clear.
Police said the investigation remains active, but based on information gathered so far, they do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the public. The Natatorium itself is a major community hub — a 116,000-square-foot health and fitness complex with 12,000 square feet of workout space, an aquatic center holding nearly 400,000 gallons of water across four pools, two gymnasiums and racquetball courts, per the facility's profile from PRIME AE Group.
A $26.6 Million Civic Anchor Near City Hall
The center was built as a $26.6 million municipal project, financed through revenue bonds repaid entirely by user fees, and designed to weave city parks programming together with Summa Health Systems wellness services, according to Playeasy's facility records. It sits in downtown Cuyahoga Falls near City Hall. Beyond its gyms and pools, the Natatorium also runs a Conference & Banquet Center with two event spaces, the Cuyahoga Room and Hopewell Room, which together accommodate up to 150 guests; some private rentals require a police detail.
That civic footprint raises a pointed question investigators will likely have to answer: how a firearm ended up inside the building at all. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 2923.126, firearms are generally barred from government buildings run by state or local political subdivisions, including municipal recreation centers, unless a local policy specifically allows it, according to the Giffords Law Center. The Natatorium's own entry guidelines require every visitor age 16 and older to show a valid government-issued photo ID and clear a check against the Ohio Attorney General's Offender database before heading past the main podium, with convicted offenders denied entry altogether.
A Natatorium Theft Report
An August 2026 police blotter entry reported a stolen phone at the Natatorium, according to the Cuyahoga Falls Police Department.
The city has also seen recent gun violence. In June, Cuyahoga Falls police arrested an 18-year-old suspect after a shooting on Aspen Place left a 35-year-old injured.
The Natatorium's closure through Monday will keep members and event bookings on hold while police continue investigating.
