We at First Unitarian Church of Toledo hold the Old West End in a special place in our hearts, as that’s where our church was for about 75 years and many of our members live in the Old West End.
As far as we know, they’re all safe. We’re sorry that a multiple shooting is now part of that historic area’s story. I’m sorry that Toledo now has another example of the sidewalks not being safe, that a joyous celebration ended because people carried guns and, having them handy, apparently two individuals got angry and used their guns.
I was in New York on Saturday, there to lead a memorial service for a longtime friend. Were my wife and I at home, we might have been among the crowd at the Old West End Festival. But we heard about the shooting — it was momentous enough to be in the national news…