City officials said a gunman wearing body armor opened fire in a popular entertainment district in Dayton, Ohio, killing nine people, including his sister, and wounding dozens, before police quickly killed him.
Connor Bates, 24, was killed by police less than a minute after shooting with a 223 caliber rifle began in the streets of Historic Oregon in Dayton around 1 a.m.
Police have not released more information about Bates or publicly discussed the motive.
Police said his sister Megan, 22, the youngest of the dead, was all killed in the same area. The other men and women who were killed were between 25 and 57 years old.
Dayton Mayor Nan Willie said the shooter wore a sturdy armor and had additional high-capacity magazines. Had the police not responded so quickly, “hundreds of people in Oregon would have died today,” she said.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Matt Carber said the neighborhood, which houses bars, restaurants and theaters, is “a safe part of downtown.”
Wali said at least 27 people were treated for injuries, and at least 15 of them were released. Hospital officials told a press conference that many were still in critical or critical condition. Officials said that some were hit by multiple live bullets and others were wounded while fleeing.
Nikita Papillon, 23, was across the street at Newcom’s Tavern when the shooting started. She said she saw a girl she spoke to earlier lying outside the Ned Peppers bar.
“She told me she liked my clothes and thought I was cute,” Papillon said. “I told her that I love her clothes and I think they are cute.” She herself had gone to Ned Peppers the night before, calling it the kind of place where “you don’t have to worry about someone shooting the place.”
She said, “People my age, we don’t think something like this will happen.” “And when that happens, words cannot describe it.”
Tanisia Leonard, 28, was in the back, smoking, at Newcoms. I heard “loud bangs” I initially thought were someone knocking on a garbage can.
“It was very loud, but then you can tell it was gunshots and there were a lot of shots,” said Leonard.
Employees of an Oregon bar named Ned Peppers said in a Facebook post that they were shocked and confused by the shooting. The bar said that the guard was treated for shrapnel wounds.
A message requesting further comments has been left for employees.
The governor issued his own statement, declaring that he had ordered flags in Ohio to remain half the staff, providing assistance to Whaley, and praying for the victims.
The FBI helps with the investigation.
The Family Aid Center was set up at the Dayton Convention Center, with people seeking information on victims arriving regularly throughout the morning, many of them at their best and some looking in bed from a sleepless night. Some local priests were there to provide support,
