TOLEDO, OH — A violent Fourth of July holiday weekend in Toledo has left two young men dead and another critically injured, following a pair of overnight shootings in East Toledo. Police have launched a homicide investigation as the community mourns the tragic deaths of 20-year-old Salvador Ruiz and 20-year-old Amir Thomas-Clair.
The first shooting occurred shortly after midnight on July 5. Officers responded to a report of gunfire near Platt and 1st streets, where they found Ruiz inside a vehicle with at least one gunshot wound. He was rushed to the hospital, but later pronounced dead. A second person inside the vehicle was not harmed, according to police.
Just minutes after discovering Ruiz, officers were called to another scene less than three minutes away, near Nevada Street, where a vehicle had crashed. Inside, they found two more victims suffering from gunshot wounds. Amir Thomas-Clair, also 20, was taken to the hospital and later pronounced dead. Another occupant remains in critical condition, while a third person in the car was uninjured.
As of Saturday morning, Toledo Police have not released any information about possible suspects or confirmed whether the two shootings are connected. Both incidents occurred within close proximity and within a short timeframe, raising concerns about possible links between them.
Investigators are continuing their search for answers and are urging the public to come forward with any information. Tips can be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers by calling or texting 419-255-1111. A cash reward may be offered for information that leads to an arrest.
The back-to-back shootings have cast a dark shadow over what was supposed to be a celebratory weekend in the city. The deaths of Ruiz and Thomas-Clair—both just 20 years old—have heightened community concerns over rising gun violence and sparked renewed calls for peace and justice.
“Two families are now facing unimaginable grief,” one local resident said. “This violence must end.”
As police work to piece together what happened, the city of Toledo is once again left grappling with the devastating impact of youth gun violence and the loss of bright futures far too soon.