By DAN SEWELL and JOHN MINCHILLO, Associated Press, and staff
DAYTON (AP) — A gunman wearing body armor and carrying extra magazines opened fire in a popular nightlife area of Dayton, killing nine and injuring dozens, authorities say, in the second U.S. mass shooting in less than 24 hours.
This story is being updated periodically with new developments.
A law enforcement official identified the shooter as Connor Betts, a man in his 20s.
The official was not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
Media reports said Betts was a native of Bellbrook.
#OregonDistrict #update Mayor Whaley: Suspect opened fire in the Oregon District wearing body armor.
There are 10 people dead including the shooter, 26 others injured.
Officers neutralized the shooter in less than a minute.— Dayton Police Dept. (@DaytonPolice) August 4, 2019
Dayton police patrolling the area responded in less than a minute to the shooting, which unfolded around 1 a.m. Sunday on the streets of the Oregon District, Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley said at a press conference.
A vigil is being held in the Oregon District at 8:00 p.m. Sunday to honor the victims, who range in age from 25 to 57 and include the shooter’s sister.
Whaley said if the police had not responded so quickly, “hundreds of people in the Oregon District could be dead today.”
She says at least 27 people have been treated for injuries. No details about their conditions have been released.
The Oregon District is a historic neighborhood that Lt. Col. Matt Carper described as “a safe part of downtown,” home to entertainment options, including bars, restaurants and theaters.
Betts was shot to death by responding officers. Whaley said he was carrying a .223-caliber rifle and had additional high-capacity magazines with him.
Police believe there was only one shooter, and have not yet identified a motive.
Miami Valley Hospital spokeswoman Terrea Little said the hospital had received 16 victims, but she couldn’t confirm their conditions.
Kettering Health Network spokeswoman Elizabeth Long said multiple victims from a shooting had been brought to system hospitals, but she didn’t have details on how many.
Nikita Papillon, 23, was across the street at Newcom’s Tavern when the shooting started. She said she saw a girl she had talked to earlier lying outside Ned Peppers Bar.
“She had told me she liked my outfit and thought I was cute, and I told her I liked her outfit and I thought she was cute,” Papillon said. She herself had been to Ned Peppers the night before, describing it as the kind of place “where you don’t have to worry about someone shooting up the place.”
“People my age, we don’t think something like this is going to happen,” she said. “And when it happens, words can’t describe it.”
Tianycia Leonard, 28, was in the back, smoking, at Newcom’s. She heard “loud thumps” that she initially thought was people pounding on a dumpster.
“It was so noisy, but then you could tell it was gunshots and there was a lot of rounds,” Leonard said.
President Donald Trump has been briefed on the shooting and praised law enforcement’s speedy response in a tweet Sunday morning.
Gov. Mike DeWine issued his own statement before 7 a.m., announcing that he’s ordered flags in Ohio remain at half-staff and offered assistance to Whaley.
I have spoken with @nanwhaley and offered any assistance on behalf of the state. I have been briefed by the Ohio Department of Public Safety, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol has offered assistance to local law enforcement as they investigate this heinous act.
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) August 4, 2019
“Fran and I are absolutely heartbroken over the horrible attack that occurred this morning in Dayton, the statement said. “We join those across Ohio and this country in offering our prayers to victims and their families.”
Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio says “thoughts and prayers are not enough” in a statement issued by his office Sunday morning.
“As Ohio wakes up this morning to the news of this horrific attack, Connie and I are filled with sadness for the victims and their families and gratitude for the police officers who responded to the scene and the medical professionals caring for the injured. We are also angry – angry that shooting after shooting politicians in Washington and Columbus refuse to pass sensible gun-safety laws to protect our communities. We are still learning about the attack in Dayton and we don’t know exactly what, if anything, could have prevented this specific tragedy. But we know thoughts and prayers are not enough, we have a responsibility to act.” -U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
Brown has called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to call the Senate back into session and take up legislation passed by the House to require universal background checks on all firearm sales across the country.
I went to bed with a heavy heart because of #ElPaso and woke up to the tragic news from #Dayton. These senseless acts of violence must stop.
— Rob Portman (@robportmanOH) August 4, 2019
“We are grateful for the heroic response of Dayton Police officers and other first responders. Our deepest sympathy goes to the families of those killed and wounded in this cowardly attack. We support the Governor making state resources available as law enforcement begins looking for answers into this heinous crime.” -Ohio Senate President Larry Obhof (R-Medina)
“As Ohioans gather for prayer this Sunday morning, let our collective voices and actions be amplified as one- This senseless violence must end.” -Ohio House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron)
The FBI is assisting with the investigation. A family assistance center was set up at the Dayton Convention Center.
Trump is saying that federal law enforcement is working with local authorities to investigate the shooting.
Trump tweeted praise of law enforcement and said that “information is rapidly being accumulated in Dayton.”
In a second tweet , he wrote, “God bless the people of El Paso Texas. God bless the people of Dayton, Ohio.”
The Ohio shooting came hours after a young man opened fire in a crowded El Paso, Texas, shopping area, leaving 20 dead and more than two dozen injured. Just days before, on July 28, a 19-year-old shot and killed three people, including two children, at Northern California’s Gilroy Garlic Festival.
Sunday’s shooting in Dayton is the 22nd mass killing of 2019 in the U.S., according to the AP/USA Today/Northeastern University mass murder database that tracks homicides where four or more people killed — not including the offender. The 20 mass killings in the U.S. in 2019 that preceded this weekend claimed 96 lives.
The shooting in Dayton comes after the area was heavily damaged when tornadoes swept through western Ohio in late May, destroying or damaging hundreds of homes and businesses.
“Dayton has been through a lot already this year, and I continue to be amazed by the grit and resiliency of our community,” Whaley said.