CINCINNATI – A Taco Bell employee was shot and killed in the parking lot of a restaurant near downtown Cincinnati early Friday, according to police.
The victim has been identified as 32-year-old Ryan Johnson, who was discovered mortally wounded after officers responded to reports of gunfire just after midnight. The shooting occurred at the Taco Bell location off Gest Street near the Freeman Avenue exit of southbound Interstate 75.
Captain Stephen Bower, the night chief, confirmed that Johnson had been struck multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene. He noted that while Johnson was an employee of the restaurant, it remains unclear whether he was working at the time of the shooting. Johnson was not dressed in a Taco Bell uniform, but rather in jeans and a T-shirt.
The suspect, described only as the gunman, fled the scene before officers arrived and remains at large. Cincinnati homicide detectives are actively investigating and plan to review surveillance footage from the restaurant and surrounding area in an effort to identify and track down the shooter.
Police have not released a possible motive for the attack, and no arrests have been made as of Friday morning. Authorities are urging anyone with information about the shooting to contact the Cincinnati Police Homicide Unit or provide an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers.
This tragic killing has shaken employees and residents in the area, with many expressing concern about rising gun violence across the city. Johnson’s death marks another case in a troubling string of late-night shootings in Cincinnati, underscoring the challenges faced by law enforcement in addressing violent crime.
As the investigation continues, the Cincinnati Police Department has extended condolences to Ryan Johnson’s family and friends, vowing to pursue every lead to bring justice in this case.
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