TALLMADGE, Ohio — Authorities are investigating a shooting that occurred in the parking lot at the Summit County fairgrounds and left a 17-year-old injured.
According to the Summit County Sheriff's Office, the shooting occurred around 11:15 p.m., after the fair had closed for the day.
A preliminary investigation indicates that an unknown man opened fire and several bullets struck a vehicle and the teen, who was inside it, the sheriff's office said. The shooter then drove off.
The teen was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
"You gotta have a little bit of faith like you can't judge everyone from just looking at them, but that's a little insane," one fairgoer, Hope Box, said.
The fair said in a Facebook post that it is "steadfast in our commitment to creating a safe, welcoming, and enjoyable environment for all fair attendees."
"We are grateful for the thousands who come to enjoy the fair each year and regret that the actions of a few individuals threaten that experience."
The sheriff's office asks anyone with information about the shooting to contact the detective bureau at 330-643-8087.
This was not the only incident to occur in two days.
The Summit County Fair Board said the animal barns were closed five minutes earlier than planned on Friday due to two teenagers throwing objects at barn doors.
"Shortly after, a group of individuals ran through the northeast corner of the fairgrounds, spreading false claims that someone was about to start shooting. We want to clearly state that there was no evidence or credible threat involving a firearm or any planned act of violence," the Summit County Fair Board said.
The Summit County Fair Board added, "At approximately 10:30 p.m., a separate incident occurred on the Midway involving a physical altercation allegedly prompted by a video challenge. One juvenile male was arrested for using a taser. In response, fair directors made the decision to close the fair at 10:40 p.m., 20 minutes earlier than scheduled to prevent any further disturbances."
On Sunday, as a proactive measure, additional deputies were at the fair and drone surveillance was utilized.
The fair also restricted the types of bags allowed for the remainder of the event.
Despite the many disturbances that occurred this weekend, they didn't deter fairgoers on Sunday.
"I still want to come support the community, have fun. I was just having high hopes because even though there [are] troubles in our city, it shouldn't take away [from] living your life," a woman who goes by Princess told us.
Todd Danforth said he remains hopeful the "riffraff" stays out and "doesn't cause any more problems for families and kids that just want to come over and have a great time."
Watch more about what happened:
RELATED: Summit County Fair closed early Friday night due to 'small number of agitators' disrupting event
