On July 5, 2023, 18-year-old Shamari Mingo tragically lost her life in a drive-by shooting near Fountain Square in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. The incident occurred at the 200 block of East 5th Street, where Mingo was shot in the chest while at a bus stop. She was unconscious when police arrived at the scene and was later pronounced dead.
Shamari Mingo was the great-niece of Rev. Peterson Mingo, a well-known anti-violence advocate in the Cincinnati area.
According to her great-uncle, Shamari was on her way home from work when the shooting took place. She was described by her teachers as a focused and well-raised young woman, with Rev. Mingo stating, "She was very well-focused... They said she was a treasure to have with them".
The shooting also resulted in injuries to another teenager at the same location. This incident is part of a concerning trend of increasing youth gun violence in Ohio. The Cincinnati Police Department reported that through the end of June 2023, 39 minors had been shot in the city, with five fatalities – matching the total number of minors shot in all of 2022.
As of the available information, there were no details provided about any arrests made or suspects identified in connection with Shamari Mingo's death. The family planned a vigil for Saturday, July 8, 2023, at 7 p.m. on East Fifth Street to remember Shamari and bring attention to the issue of gun violence.
This tragic event has further fueled Rev. Peterson Mingo's commitment to anti-violence efforts in the community. He expressed his determination to continue his work, stating, "We're not strangers to it. It's through this kind of work; you don't pick the work — the work picks you".
