CINCINNATI — A quiet Cincinnati neighborhood was shattered early Friday night when 27-year-old Johnie Deontae Thomas was fatally shot, and now authorities are asking for the public’s help to find the person responsible.
At around 8 p.m. on December 5, officers from the Cincinnati Police Department responded to a report of gunfire on the 70 block of Ferndale Street. When they arrived, first responders found Thomas suffering from a gunshot wound. He was rushed to a local hospital — but he did not survive.
Police have not released any information about a suspect, and as of the latest update, no arrests have been made. The investigation remains active and ongoing.
Friends and neighbors describe Thomas as a young man full of promise and potential. Though authorities have remained tight-lipped about the motive or any leads, the sense of loss has quickly rippled through the community. Loved ones are calling for answers as they struggle to make sense of the tragedy.
Local law enforcement is urging anyone with information to come forward. They say that even the smallest detail — a passing car, a scrap of video footage, a blurry memory — might be the key to finding the person behind the gunfire.
As the case unfolds, residents in the area are left grappling with grief, confusion, and fear. For now, the only certainty is that a young life was lost — and what remains is a community hoping justice will come quickly.
If you know anything about the shooting — or heard or saw something in the area of Ferndale Street on the night of December 5 — you’re asked to contact the Cincinnati Police Department’s Homicide Unit.
