Ohio [US], June 7 (ANI): At least 12 people were injured, two of them critically, after gunfire erupted near a popular community festival in Toledo, Ohio, on Saturday evening (local time), according to local authorities cited by US local media.

The incident occurred around 5:30 pm (local time) on June 6 near the Old West End Festival, an annual event featuring live music and historic home tours, ABC News reported.

'At approximately 5:37 p.m., Toledo Police officers responded to a report of a person shot in the area of Delaware Avenue and Glenwood Avenue near the Old West End Festival. Upon arrival, officers discovered multiple shooting victims. Many victims have been transported to nearby medical facilities for treatment. The Toledo Police Department is actively searching for the suspect or suspects involved,' the Toledo Police said in a post on X.

According to Toledo Deputy Police Chief Joe Heffernan, the shooting appeared to involve at least two individuals who were shooting at each other.

Heffernan told reporters during a late-night press briefing as per local media, 'It appears as though there were at least two shooters. I think they were probably shooting at each other.'

The victims range in age from 14 to 61, with a majority of those injured in their early 20s. Two individuals remain in critical condition at nearby medical facilities, while the others sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

The sudden burst of violence sent hundreds of festival-goers scrambling for cover. Witnesses described a chaotic scene as rapid gunfire echoed through the Agnes Reynolds Jackson Arboretum, CNN reported.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine took to social media to express deep concern over the incident.

'Summer festivals should be safe spaces for families to spend time together without fear of violence. Fran and I are praying for everyone impacted by the incident at the Old West End Festival.'

'All of the people shot are expected to survive, Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz told CNN affiliate WTOL.

The Old West End Festival is a two-day celebration in Toledo's historic district that includes live music, food vendors, home tours and shopping. (ANI)