‘I refuse to be afraid’: The scene at Cincinnati’s Fountain Square a day after downtown’s shooting deaths

The mood on an overcast Friday on Cincinnati's Fountain Square seemed respectful but resilient the day after a deadly shooting at Fifth Third Center.

Residents sought to remember the victims but vowed to live out life unhindered by fear.

Ten bouquets of flowers decorated the rim of the fountain itself, paying silent tribute to the victims. Three people were killed Thursday morning by Omar Santa-Perez, who then was killed by police responding to the active shooter calls. Two other people were seriously injured in the shooting.

MORE ON THE SHOOTINGS

• What we know about the victims and suspect, and what’s next

• Complete coverage from Thursday, including photos and video

Today, people snapped photos of the flowers and of the police tape still blocking off part of the area in front of 30-story Fifth Third building.

Larry House, of Cold Spring, Ky., who said he often comes to downtown Cincinnati for work a couple of days during the week, came to sit at a table in Fountain Square during his vacation week.

“I’m not going to be constrained by someone with a gun,” he said. “I refuse to be afraid. Just because some individual feels empowered by a gun, I just will not be constrained by it. Life must go on. And I came out here just for show of solidarity."

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