Woodward player, grazed by gunfire during North College Hill game, says violence must stop

CINCINNATI (WXIX) - Zy’renzo Lewis, a member of the Woodward High School football team, said he was running from the field for safety when he was grazed by gunfire at Baarendse Memorial Stadium on Friday.

Lewis began running for the gym when gunshots were heard near the stadium where Woodward was playing North College Hill.

“At first I thought it was fireworks so I just stood there,” Lewis said. “(The gunfire) started getting faster and louder so I started running. I ran to the gym, looked down and I had a bullet hole in my pants and blood on my leg.”

North College Hill police were called to an elementary school parking lot near the stadium where the shots were reportedly fired. The stadium was evacuated and the game between Woodward and North College Hill ended abruptly.

Karlos Brown, Lewis’s father, was in the stands when his son was shot.

“It almost sounded like (someone) was shooting at each other,” Brown said. “That’s what it sounded like. I watched everybody run, duck, hide. Both teams took off. I looked and saw them run to the gym. When it got fast, I hid behind the bleachers.”

Once the shooting stopped, Brown went to find his son and was met by a Woodward coach who said he was injured. Brown said first responders said his son was grazed by gunfire.

“It makes me really fear for my safety,” Lewis said. “How am I going to play a football game if I’m worried about getting shot? It’s real traumatizing.”

Initially, Cincinnati Public Schools said a Woodward High School athlete was injured in the shooting. A day later, the district said the student-athlete was not grazed in the shooting, but injured in the aftermath.

Brown said he and his son spoke to FOX19 NOW because they wanted people to know what happened. He said the holes in his son’s uniform prove it.

“We’re basically talking to you to clarify that a student did get hit,” Brown said. “Our main concern when we go to these games, I want everybody to be safe and feel safe. We shouldn’t have to worry about bullets. This is his first year, actually, and he didn’t sign up to duck bullets.”

Cincinnati Public Schools adjusted times to its upcoming football games due to recent threats and community violence.

Thursday’s game between Hughes and Western Hills was moved from 6:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Five other games will have an earlier kickoff time.

Brown said he welcomes the move by the district.

“I like the idea of switching it up sometimes,” Brown said. “I know Friday night is supposed to be fun, you know what I mean. But I think that’s smart. Having it early as possible so we can play it early and get out of there.”

Brown said he’s been pleased with how Woodward has handled the situation with his son. He said the school has checked up on him often.

FOX19 NOW reached out to the North College Police Department for a statement but didn’t hear back when this article was published.

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Please click here to report it.

Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.