City alarm reports “emergency” near Cincinnati Music Hall and heavy police presence

CINCINNATI – A “police operation” near the Cincinnati Music Hall in Over-the-Rhine on Thursday night is related to a police pursuit of a stabbing attacker, Cincinnati police said.

The city of Cincinnati issued an alert shortly before 7:30 p.m., notifying police of an emergency near the Music Hall before giving the all-clear just 15 minutes later.

“Regarding the police operation near the Music Hall, there is no ongoing threat to the community,” the city said. “Normal activities may resume.”

Our teams arrived at the scene and saw dozens of patrol cars blocking Elm Street near the Music Hall.

Witnesses on the scene told us they saw a driver lead a chase with police before exiting his vehicle near the intersection of 12th and Elm.

Officials told us that a stabbing in Westwood prompted the police pursuit in the area. Police were initially dispatched to the 3300 block of Parkcrest Lane because a woman had been stabbed there. The suspect fled the scene, but a neighbor gave police a description of his vehicle, which was later spotted in Price Hill.

Police on the scene in Parkcrest Lane said the pursuit resulted in a heavy police presence near the Music Hall, but could not provide any further information on the outcome of the pursuit. The woman who was stabbed was taken to hospital, but there is no update on her condition.

WCPO will update this story with more information as it becomes available.