Passerby shot in shootout between suspect and police at Kroger grocery store

On Wednesday, a bystander was shot as suspects were on duty and police exchanged fire at a Kroger grocery store just outside Cincinnati, police said.

Shortly before 4 p.m. Eastern Time, according to Colerain Township, Ohio police, emergency crews were called to the Kroger on Springdale Road after “shots were fired.”

A suspect was outside the store when officers approached, Police Chief Ed Cordie told reporters Wednesday night. The suspect then pointed the gun at officers, “and gunfire erupted,” he said. The suspect then retreated into the store.

After various initial and conflicting reports from the police, law enforcement authorities finally confirmed that a bystander was injured in the exchange of gunfire between the suspect and police, the police chief said.

During the incident, the suspect was also beaten and taken into custody, he added.

Both the bystander and the suspect are expected to survive their injuries, he said.

The Kroger location was closed following the incident.

“We’re making sure everything is handled properly before we let people back in,” Colerain Police PIO Jim Love said Wednesday afternoon, adding, “The store’s cameras will be critical to the investigation.”

Love noted that the Kroger store on Springfield Road is one of the busiest in the community, saying, “When shots are fired here in the middle of the day, it’s a big deal.”

The investigation is ongoing.