Ohio prosecutors on Friday dropped charges against Eljay Crisp-Carr, the 20-year-old arrested in connection with the June 6 mass shooting at Toledo's Old West End festival that injured 12 people. Crisp-Carr had faced more than 50 felony charges, including 25 counts of attempted murder, and was released after spending about five months in jail.
The dismissal was requested by prosecutors during a hearing before Judge Lori Olender in Lucas county court of common pleas. The Lucas county prosecutor's office said it had informed Crisp-Carr's attorney of discovery that may support his defense. The office said the dismissal was without prejudice, meaning charges could be refiled if necessary. "Due to new and developing evidence, the state of Ohio asked the court to dismiss the charges against Eljay Crisp-Carr without prejudice, and the court granted the request," the prosecutor's office said in a statement. The office added that the Toledo Police Department investigation was ongoing.
The shooting erupted at the annual festival when a fight between rival groups apparently escalated into two people shooting at each other, though they were not among the wounded. Hundreds of people were in attendance. Organizers canceled the event's second day because of the shooting.
Crisp-Carr's defense team believes another person involved in the shooting remains at large, and lawyer Alex Bodiford told local outlet WKYC he was concerned that someone who did the shooting might still be out there. The defense said it had video and cellphone evidence supporting an alibi, and had argued that Crisp-Carr was not at the festival at the time of the shooting. Speaking with WTVG after the hearing, Crisp-Carr said: "God is good." He maintained his innocence and said he believed authorities had mistaken him for someone else depicted in a photograph. Asked whether the mistaken identification came from photographs, Crisp-Carr responded: "Yes, sir. Just picking with me." He said he had tried to explain to authorities that he was not the individual in the photo, but that they told him he was a monster. "They just incriminated me," Crisp-Carr said.
His mother, April Carr, told WKYC she was "ecstatic" with the outcome. "I'm beyond excited because what mother wants their child to be broadcast across the world for something they didn't do?" she said.
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- SupportedOhio prosecutors dropped charges against Eljay Crisp-Carr, who had been arrested in connection with the Toledo festival shooting.World news | The Guardian: “Ohio prosecutors on Friday dropped charges against a man arrested in connection with the 6 June shooting at Toledo’s Old West End festival that injured 12 people. Eljay Crisp-Carr, 20”
- SupportedCrisp-Carr was released after spending about five months in jail.World news | The Guardian: “He was released after spending about five months behind bars.”
- SupportedThe prosecutor’s office said discovery may support Crisp-Carr’s defense.World news | The Guardian: “In September 2026, the Lucas county prosecutor’s office informed Mr Crisp-Carr’s attorney of discovery that may support his defense.”
- SupportedThe prosecutor’s office said: “Due to new and developing evidence, the state of Ohio asked the court to dismiss the charges against Eljay Crisp-Carr without prejudice, and the court granted the request.”World news | The Guardian: ““Due to new and developing evidence, the state of Ohio asked the court to dismiss the charges against Eljay Crisp-Carr without prejudice, and the court granted the request,” the prosecutor’s office said.”
- SupportedCrisp-Carr had faced more than 50 felony charges, including 25 counts of attempted murder.World news | The Guardian: “Eljay Crisp-Carr, 20, had faced more than 50 felony charges stemming from the shooting, including 25 counts of attempted murder.”
- SupportedThe June 6 shooting at Toledo’s Old West End festival injured 12 people.World news | The Guardian: “the 6 June shooting at Toledo’s Old West End festival that injured 12 people.”
- SupportedProsecutors requested the dismissal during a hearing before Judge Lori Olender in Lucas County court of common pleas.World news | The Guardian: “during a hearing Friday before the judge Lori Olender of the Lucas county court of common pleas, prosecutors requested that the charges against Crisp-Carr be dismissed.”
- SupportedThe prosecutor’s office said the Toledo Police Department investigation was ongoing.World news | The Guardian: ““The Toledo Police Department continues its investigation,” the statement said.”
- SupportedAfter the charges were dropped, Crisp-Carr said: “God is good.”World news | The Guardian: “Speaking with WTVG after the charges against him were dropped, Crisp-Carr said: “God is good.””
- SupportedWhen asked whether the mistaken identification came from photographs, Crisp-Carr replied: “Yes, sir. Just picking with me.”World news | The Guardian: “When asked whether he believed the mistaken identification came from photographs, Crisp-Carr responded: “Yes, sir. Just picking with me.””
- SupportedCrisp-Carr said: “They just incriminated me.”World news | The Guardian: ““They just incriminated me,” Crisp-Carr said.”
- SupportedApril Carr told WKYC she was “ecstatic” and said: “I’m beyond excited because what mother wants their child to be broadcast across the world for something they didn’t do?”World news | The Guardian: “His mother, April Carr, told news outlet WKYC she was “ecstatic” about the outcome. “I’m beyond excited because what mother wants their child to be broadcast across the world for something they didn’t do?” she said.”