By Jane Prendergast
and William A. Weathers
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Placing evidence markers at the scene of a Thursday afternoon shooting are Detective Pat Galligan (left) and Officer Mike Bell. It happened on Vine Street near 14th. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

Gun violence in Cincinnati continued Thursday with an afternoon shooting in Over-the-Rhine. But police started the day by capturing a man wanted in the West End killing this week that prompted a neighborhood outcry.

Officers had been looking for Tyrone James since Monday, when a teen-age mother was fatally shot while holding her toddler. They found him in the Fay Apartments after a tip and some help from the FBI, and finally got him out with the SWAT team and a bullhorn.

"This is a case here where you've got a guy who's identified in one of the groups we think is responsible for a lot of the violence in the West End," Chief Tom Streicher said, referring to Mr. James' suspected involvement in the Tot Lot Posse gang.

Many of the officers involved were working the 12-hour shifts the chief started this week as part of both his push for the last week of the annual Robbery Task Force and his high-profile answer to the West End's pleas for more police help.

"They're putting a lot of pressure on the criminals," the chief said.

Officers could see that a television set was on when they got to the President Drive apartment where they believed Mr. James was. No one answered the door or repeated calls to the apartment's phone. Because he wouldn't answer and there was a girl inside as well, the team decided to treat the scene as if he had barricaded himself inside, Capt. James Whalen said.

The SWAT team was called out about 2 a.m. Officers negotiated his surrender just after 4 a.m.

Both the chief and Mayor Charlie Luken said they'd received calls from West End residents thanking the city for the extra police presence.

"From what I'm hearing, this is an unprecedented effort," Mr. Luken said. "Nobody's seen anything quite like this in some time."

Thursday's shooting happened about 4:20 p.m. at Vine and West 14th streets. The 39-year-old man was shot once, the bullet cutting through him. He was listed in critical condition after surgery.

More than 100 people stood around the victim when police arrived, Sgt. Roger Robbins said.The suspect was described as African-American and about 20 years old.

"Sometimes, they've got to step up," he said. "It's their neighborhood."

E-mail jprendergast@enquirer.com