Security will increase at a Dayton store where the owner fatally shot a teenager who, along with another suspect, was allegedly trying to rob the business at gunpoint Monday.
The death of Isiah Haggins Jr., 16, of Trotwood, was officially ruled a homicide by the Montgomery County Coroner's Office. The cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds. Dayton police said the teen and another suspect entered the Step-N-Style store at 3217 W. Siebenthaler Ave. armed with guns and demanded cash. The store owner, who's been robbed before, also had a gun and shot Haggins. The second suspect fled on foot, and is still at large.
Allen Webb works as a security guard at Step-N-Style, which remained closed Wednesday. He was attempting to clean up the store so it could re-open soon. He said the owner is struggling to come to terms with the attempted robbery and shooting.
As a result of the shooting, new measures will be put in place in hopes of increasing safety, Webb said. This is the second armed robbery at the store in as many years.
"The store is going to have precautionary screening of customers not just for employees, but for the safety of everyone who comes in the store, and armed security if (the owner) wants," Webb said.
This robbery is the latest in a string of felony crimes committed by juveniles on Dayton's west side. Dayton police Sgt. Paul Saunders said they're set to nearly double the number of felony arrests involving juveniles this year. He said the incident at Step-N-Style is an example of the crime juveniles are committing escalating. While teenagers were more commonly known to commit less-violent crimes such as thefts and burglaries, Saunders said he's seeing more cases of juveniles using guns to steal cars and commit armed robberies. In this case, he said the crime resulted in a tragedy for Haggins' family.
"(Haggins) is an example of someone who has gone down the wrong path, made some horrible decision and it's had a horrible result," he said.
Whether the owner will face charges in the shooting will be determined by the Montgomery County Prosecutor's Office when police conclude their investigation. Anyone with information regarding the second suspect in the robbery can call Dayton police through their tip line, (937) 222-7867.
