Dayton Shooting: Suspect and 9 dead, 27 wounded in Oregon District

Published: Sunday, August 04, 2019 @ 1:19 AM

Updated: Sunday, August 04, 2019 @ 1:45 PM

— A shooting with multiple fatalities and several people wounded has occurred near Ned Peppers Bar on East Fifth Street in the city of Dayton’s Oregon District. Here’s the latest:

>> TUNE IN: WHIO Radio will remain in wall-to-wall coverage with WHIO-TV.

MORE: PHOTOS: Scenes from the Oregon District shooting

The sister of the suspected Oregon District shooter is among the nine victims killed, according to Dayton police.

>>Dayton Shooting: Names of victims released

Dayton police released the identities of the victims during a 1 p.m. news conference at the Dayton Convention Center.

>>RELATED: Oregon District shooting suspect identified, investigation underway at Bellbrook home

Five men and four women were killed in the mass shooting Sunday morning, police said:

Megan Betts, 22. She was the sister of the suspected shooter, identified as Connor Betts.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine was the first to speak during the news conference, offering sympathy to the victims and praising the first responders for their action.

MORE: Hotlines, meeting site set for families of victims

“Thanks to the Dayton police department and the officers involved in ending this tragedy, DeWine said. “We’ll never know how many lives were saved.”

DeWine added law enforcement officers practice responses for these events but “pray to God” they don’t happen.

Assistant Police Chief Matt Carper for the city of Dayton describes the nine people who died in the Oregon District shooting.

The 1 p.m. news conference with Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley and other officials is set to being shortly.

Live updates will be posted in this story.

A statement on last night’s mass shooting. pic.twitter.com/hVNEyKcXha — Nan Whaley (@nanwhaley) August 4, 2019

Connor Betts, 24, of Bellbrook has been identified as the suspected shooter in the Oregon District, government sources have confirmed to this news outlet.

Several law enforcement officers are conducting an investigation at a home Creekview Place, connected to the mass shooting. Officials only said the investigation is connected to the shooting and other details could not be released.

We’ll continue to update this story as we learn more.

The number of injured in Sunday morning’s shooting in the Oregon District has increased to 27, according to Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley.

Ten people are dead, nine of whom are victims and one shooter. The shooter, who has only been identified as a man, was neutralized within a minute of the first shots being fired, Whaley said during a 10 a.m. news conference.

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“I’m still just completely amazed with the heroic actions of our police department,” Whaley said.

#OregonDistrict #update Mayor Whaley: Number of wounded is 27 who've been treated at local hospitals for various injuries.

We are working with the blood bank to set up donation opportunities. There will be a vigil tonight at 8pm, location TBA. — Dayton Police Dept. (@DaytonPolice) August 4, 2019

Officials are working to set up blood donation centers and more details will be released later today.

Mayor Whaley says they’re not yet sure about initial confrontation with gunman in Oregon District, who first confronted the gunman. pic.twitter.com/tGeWXADXOG — Mike Campbell (@MCampbellWHIO) August 4, 2019

The Oregon District will reopen this afternoon, Whaley said.

>>RELATED: Oregon District businesses issue response to deadly attack

Whaley emphasized the Oregon District is safe and is one of the safest spots in the region.

>>RELATED: Dayton Dragons postpone Sunday game after deadly Oregon District attack

“Dayton has gone through a really tough year,” Whaley said in reference to the Memorial Day tornado outbreak and Sunday’s mass shooting.

Police have identified the suspect but are not releasing his identity at this time, Dayton police Assistant Chief Matt Carper said during the news conference.

Police are still determining how many rounds were shot during the incident and will release the number later, Carper said.

Officials have not released any of the identities of the victims.

The next press conference the city will hold will be at 1 p.m. We will cover the conference live.

Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley and other city officials will hold a news conference momentarily.

Updates from the conference will be posted in this story.

UPDATE @ 7:39 a.m.: There have been 26 people wounded or injured in the shooting carried out wearing body armor, Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley said.

The shooter, who has not been identified, used a .223-caliber high-capacity magazine rifle and was wearing a mask or covering over his face.

“If the Dayton police had not gotten to the shooter in under a minute, hundreds of people in the Oregon District would be dead today,” Whaley said.

“This is the 250th mass shooting in America,” she said. “It’s sad that it’s in the city of Dayton.”

She called the shooting “a terrible day for Dayton.”

Ten people are confirmed dead (including the shooter) and at least 16 have been wounded or injured in the shooting near Ned Peppers Bar on East Fifth Street that occurred at 1 a.m., Dayton police Lt. Col. Matt Carper said.

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Police are trying to identify the suspect, who was shot to death by Dayton police officers, he said. As far as police know, there was only the one suspect, he said.

Police also are trying to determine what motivated the shooter, who Carper said used a long gun with multiple rounds.

There were officers on regular patrol in the Oregon District, which he called a very popular and usually safe section of the city.

There was “a very short timeline of violence” because the officers were on their regular patrols of the district. “We’re very fortunate for that,” he said. “We had officers in the immediate vicinity when this shooting began and were able to respond and put an end to it quickly,” Carper said.

Several area police departments responded to a “Signal 99” broadcast asking for all available police to respond to the district. Agents with the FBI and ATF are on scene as well.

Carper said the police department has opened the Convention Center, which is near the Oregon District, for family members and friends who were disconnected from their family members and friends during the shooting.

For people who have information that could help police, Carper said they should call 937-225-6217.

A man identifying himself as Jeff, who said he is a bouncer at an establishment next door to Ned Peppers, said he was 20 feet from the gunman and saw the muzzle flashes.

“He damaged our city,” said Jeff, who asked that his last name not be used.

MORE: 21 mass shooting in the U.S in 2019

Liz Long, Kettering Health Network spokeswoman, said the hospital has received victims from the shooting, but they have no information on numbers or patient conditions yet, as their focus is on treating the patients.

Sources are telling us there are at least 10 people dead and an unknown number of wounded. We’re working to confirm some eyewitness accounts that a person who was denied entry into the bar opened fire.

In a public Facebook post from a person named James Williams: “Sad people are not right. I’m safe. Happened right in front of the patio where I was sitting in front of Neds. The guy in front of Ned Peppers’ door is the active shooter.

If you witnessed the incident in the #OregonDistrict or have any information on the incident that would aid in the investigation, please call 937-225-6217. — Dayton Police Dept. (@DaytonPolice) August 4, 2019

“He tried to go into the bar but did not make it through the door. Someone took the gun from him and he got shot and is dead.

“There are at least eight people dead right by the picnic table where I was on the street. A bunch of people taken to the hospital. I don’t know how any... this place is a disaster.”

Unconfirmed reports via police and fire scanners are indicating there may be as many as seven dead and an unknown number of victims wounded in a shooting at or near Ned Peppers Bar, in the 400 block of East Fifth Street.

Those scanner reports, also unconfirmed, are indicating that police are searching for a possible second shooter who may have left the area.

We’re hearing that a triage area has been established in the Oregon District and police are checking the bars in the area for any additional victims. Medics are reporting critical patients in the area.

Some of those same reports are also indicating that medics are directing people being described as “walking wounded” to Grandview and Kettering hospitals.

Police are responding to a report of an active shooter in the area of East Fifth Street in the Oregon District.

Initial reports indicate multiple people shot, and medics are responding to the area. Reports also indicate that a shooter is down.

We are working to learn more and will update this story as we hear more.

If you have a news tip, call our 24-hour line at 937-259-2237 or send it to [email protected]