2 kids shot, 2 arrested in Middletown; Police chief recommends moving Friday football game

Middletown High School has moved their Friday football to Colerain following a recommendation from the city’s police chief, citing incidents in the neighborhoods, according to a message from Middletown City Schools.

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Middletown and Colerain had been scheduled to play Friday at Middletown’s Barnitz Stadium. Instead the game will now be played at Colerain High School Stadium at 7 p.m.

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“Upon recommendation from Middletown Police Chief Birk, the Middletown High School football game vs Colerain High School originally scheduled for Friday evening at Barnitz Stadium has been moved to Colerain High School Football Stadium. This decision comes after multiple recent incidents in our neighborhoods,” a district spokesperson said in a statement Thursday.

“While decisions like these are never fun or easy, it is our duty to ensure the safety of our students, spectators, and visitors.”

Middletown police posted Friday morning two juveniles were found shot around 3 p.m. Thursday in the 600 block of Louis Place, which is just a few blocks south of Barnitz Stadium.

Both juveniles were taken to Atrium Medical Center for further treatment, however their conditions were not released.

Two additional juveniles were charged in the incident, one charged with felonious assault and the other with resisting arrest and falsification.

It was not known if the shooting directly factored into the decision to move the game. News Center 7 has reached out to a City of Middletown spokesperson for more details on the incidents that led to Birk’s recommendation.

Earlier this week, the Stebbins and Vandalia-Butler game was called off due to COVID-19 protocols within the Stebbins program. Vandalia-Butler found a replacement opponent, Hopewell-Louden from Bascom, Ohio near Tiffin, and will play Vandalia-Butler’s homecoming game at 7 p.m. Friday.

Additional details were not available. We’ll update this story as we learn more.

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