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September 6, 2018 is a day Cincinnati won't likely forget. At around 9 that morning, Omar Santa-Perez began shooting in the lobby of Fifth-Third Bank's downtown headquarters just off Fountain Square. Minutes later, police shot through plate glass windows, killing the gunman — but not before Santa-Perez killed three people and wounded two others. Photo: Nick Swartsell
It's official — Cincinnati now has a third major-league sports franchise. After months of waiting, rumors and trepidation, FC Cincinnati ascended into the ranks of Major League Soccer with a frenzied, jubilant announcement ceremony at Rhinegeist in May. FCC will host its first MLS game in the spring of 2019. Photo: Nick Swartsell
Immigration continued to be a massive national issue in 2018, with inflammatory rhetoric from President Donald Trump and new "no tolerance" immigration policies dominating headlines. It also hit home, with deportations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents hitting local suburbs and sometimes separating families.Photo: Nick Swartsell
The 2018 midterm elections were among the most expensive and hotly contested non-presidential contests in recent memory. Hamilton County saw record, if patchy, turnout for a nationally-watched congressional campaign as well as a number of other contentious, hard-fought races. On the city level, voters opted to return Cincinnati City Council to two years terms and to limit campaign finance contributions to candidates from corporations. CityBeat covered all the local races with real-time results and analysis.Photo: Aftab Pureval campaign
Among all the excitement of this year's midterm elections, local Democrats extended their newfound strength in Hamilton County. They took a number of judgeships and Democrat Stephanie Summerow Dumas won a surprise victory over Republican Hamilton County Commissioner Chris Monzel. Dumas' win means the commission is all-Democrat for the first time in years. Photo: Provided
The August 6 tasing of 11-year-old Donesha Gowdy by off-duty Cincinnati Police officer Kevin Brown, who was working a security detail at the Spring Grove Village Kroger, led to a change in the department's Taser policy and a $240,000 settlement with the girl's family. It wasn't the first time in 2018 an incident in which CPD officers tased a minor caused controversy, however. Photo: CPD body camera footage
Cincinnati officials’ efforts to remove a tent city under Fort Washington Way in July escalated into a drawn-out game of cat and mouse between city and Hamilton County officials and residents of various camps that popped up in Pendleton and Over-the-Rhine.
In the midst of that fight, Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Robert Ruehlman issued a restraining order at the request of the city and Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters that made it illegal to camp outside anywhere in the county. That action triggered a legal battle that is still ongoing. Photo: Nick Swartsell
One of Cincinnati's best-loved parks saw a big new proposal this year when the equally-beloved Clifton Cultural Arts Center pitched building its new home in the 90-acre urban woods. That drew mixed reactions from park fans. Some loved the idea, while others were adamantly opposed on the grounds it would disrupt the park's wildlife. The proposal came as Cincinnati Parks looks for ways to shore up millions of dollars in deferred maintenance. In what could be a precedent-setting move, however, the park's board of trustees voted 3-2 to reject the arts facility in the woods. Photo: Nick Swartsell
