As the Cincinnati Ethiopian community grapples with the aftermath of a tragic shooting in Mt. Washington, the echoes of loss touch many hearts – leading to an outpouring of grief and confusion, in the days following an act of violence that claimed the lives of three young Ethiopians, whose potential stood bright against the backdrop of their immigrant journey.
These victims, identified as Bemnet Deresse and sisters Eden and Feven Adunga, were members of the Mahdereselam Kidanemihret Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and according to LOCAL12, they were well-regarded within the community for their manners and strong work ethic. The small but tight-knit nature of their community now feels the weight of their absence in a place where each individual’s contribution is keenly felt and the void left by such losses deeply scars the collective spirit.
Araya Amsalu, a community leader, spoke to the depth of this tragedy in a statement obtained by LOCAL12, saying, “As a community, there is a lot of fear; it’s just, this happened, it could be my daughter next or my son next—that’s what people are thinking about.” The grief has spread, touching many, as friends and family try to make sense of the sudden loss, reflecting on the lives that had been brimming with promise, the sisters worked as pharmacy technicians at Good Samaritan Hospital with Eden nearly completing her medical studies, and Bemnet, a recent graduate, preparing to start a new job in Louisville according to a WLWT article…