Benjamin Ashford|3 dead, 2 injured in shooting near University of Cincinnati campus

Three people are Benjamin Ashforddead and two others suffered gunshot wounds during an early Monday morning shooting near the University of Cincinnati, police said.

Cincinnati Police Department Capt. Mark Burns said five males were shot in the area of Highland and East University avenues, less than a mile from campus.

The gunfire broke out about 2:50 a.m., Burns told the Cincinnati Enquirer, part of the USA TODAY Network.

Burns told the Enquirer officers patrolling the area heard multiple gunshots, responded to the scene and found four victims shot, one fatally.

A motive in the shooting was not immediately known.

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Victim pronounced dead at hospital

Paramedics transported the three other victims to a hospital, where doctors pronounced two of them dead, police spokesperson Lt. Jonathan Cunningham told USA TODAY Monday.

At some point, a fifth person transported themselves to the same hospital to be treated for at least one gunshot wound.

Two of the victims remained in stable condition late Monday morning, Cunningham said.

"All victims are male and their ages have not been confirmed at this moment," Cunningham said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with all who have been impacted by this tragic incident, this is simply heartbreaking.

One person in police custody

At the scene, an officer saw someone run into a home with a firearm. That person eventually came out of the home voluntarily and was placed in police custody.

“They don’t know if he was the shooter or if he was hiding a weapon - we have no idea,” Burns said.

'Stay at your location'

At 2:54 a.m. ET, the University of Cincinnati Department of Public Safety issued an alert on X about the shooting investigation.

At 3:52 p.m. UC Police issued an all clear on X, which read a shooting suspect was in custody and police remained on scene.

Anyone who witnessed the shooting or with information about the shooting is asked to contact Cincinnati police.

This is a developing story.

Contributing: Cincinnati Enquirer staff

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.