LIMA, OH (WLIO) - Lima's top cop is asking residents to please be responsible when posting on social media. Chief James Baker says the shooting on Wayne Street Tuesday night was chaotic enough for officers to deal with, and then adding in inaccurate information posted on social media didn't help.
Officers were called to the 900 block of West Wayne around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday for a reported shooting.
Officers were called to the 900 block of West Wayne around 8:30 p.m. for a reported shooting. Officers located more than 30 spent shell casings and no victim. A 29-year-old male showed up at Mercy Health-St. Rita's a short time later with a non-life-threatening injury.
Chief Baker says that misinformation on social media can cause hysteria and hinder an investigation.
Chief Baker says that misinformation on social media can cause hysteria and hinder an investigation.
"Instantly out on social media, this person shot; this person's dead. There's a six-year-old I think that was shot. None of this is true, and it creates all this fear, anxiety, and we get these calls about, OK, how's the 6-year-old doing? And we're like, what 6-year-old? And so it takes time away from the actual investigation. Now we do covet information. We do want people to let us know what they know, but can it be firsthand as opposed to well, I heard that I heard that I heard? And that would help us tremendously," stated Chief James Baker, Lima Police Department.
If you have information, you are encouraged to call.
Officers learned at least two people were involved in a dispute that led to the gunfire. Several houses in that area were struck by bullets. No arrests have been made.
If you have information, you are encouraged to call:
- Crime Stoppers at 419-229-7867
- Detective Jesse Harrod at 419-221-5296
- Detective Steve Stechschulte at 419-812-0059
