Two men have been arrested in connection with a mass shooting in Cincinnati that took place on Sunday morning, March 1, leaving as many as nine people inside a crowded East End music venue injured. There was a crowd of 500 to 600 people at Riverfront Live, a 16-and-up music venue on Kellogg Avenue, when shots rang out around 1 am.
The suspects have been identified as Franeek Cobb, 24, and Derrick Long, 29, according to FOX19 NOW.
Who are Franeek Cobb and Derrick Long?
Both Cobb and Long were charged Monday night, March 2, with at least one count of felonious assault, according to Hamilton County court records. Both of them have criminal convictions that prohibit them from legally possessing firearms.
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Back in 2020, Cobb pleaded guilty to felony-level cocaine trafficking, which restricted his ability to legally own a gun. He pleaded guilty to having weapons under disability in 2022, and again in 2025, he pleaded guilty to carrying concealed weapons and was sentenced to a year in prison. He had just recently been released before Sunday’s shooting.
Long, too, has convictions for carrying concealed weapons and having weapons under disability. In 2023, he pleaded guilty to arson and receiving stolen property, and was sentenced to a year in prison.
Per FOX19 NOW, a city database of shooting victims shows that a 29-year-old man was among the people who were shot. However, Cincinnati Police spokesperson Sgt. Anthony Mitchell refused to confirm whether Cobb or Long was among the wounded, citing Marsy’s Law.
Riverfront Live owner reacts to arrests
Tim Jordan, the owner of Riverfront Live, said he was glad that arrests have been made in the shooting. However, he added that he has no idea how guns got inside, and is reassessing security measures and the types of events his venue will host in the future.
“I think it’s great that they worked so swiftly and found them so quick and made the arrests so quick,” Jordan told FOX19 NOW. “I’d like to know more information.”
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Jordan further said that the incident appeared to stem from a prior dispute between the people involved.
“From what I am hearing from people, this is an argument these guys have had outside of the establishment,” he said. “They knew each other prior to that night. This was an ongoing argument from what I’m being told.”
At the time of the shooting, the venue was hosting a 21-and-up event. Jordan said he did not know how guns were brought into the venue.
“Trust me, we are diligently trying to find out how,” he said. “We’re going to scrutinize the type of events we have.”
All nine victims are in stable condition, police said. An investigation into the shooting is underway.