DAYTON — Dayton Police are looking for the person they say shot two people late Tuesday afternoon.
>>PHOTOS: 1 taken to hospital after shooting near Levitt Pavilion
Officers were called to the 100 block of South Jefferson Street to reports of a shooting just feet from the Levitt Pavilion and RTA hub around 5:30 p.m.
Medics transported two people to the hospital.
News Center 7′s Xavier Hershovitz says a man and woman suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Dayton Police say the shooter was driving by in a vehicle when the shooter started firing shots at Fourth and Jefferson where two people were shot.
A man and woman ran over to Levitt Pavilion where medics and officers found them.
“We were pretty fortunate that nobody had (lost a life),” said Kamaran Afzal, Dayton Chief of Police, in a video released on social media. “There were some injuries. We’re really glad the two victims are going to be okay.”
One of the victims has been released, Dayton Police wrote on social media.
Hershovitz says officers are still trying to determine if this was targeted.
“Officers arrived on scene within seconds,” Lt. Jeffrey Thomas of Dayton Police told News Center 7 Tuesday night. “They were only a block away when the shooting call did come in. The shooting occurred in the street from a passing motorist.
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Afzal also said Tuesday night that shootings are rare in Downtown Dayton. But called them a “serious and dangerous event,” when they take place.
“Downtown is a pretty safe environment for our city,” he said. “It’s a rarity for anything to happen in Downtown. When it does happen, we take it very seriously.”
Afzal said they are using several resources at their disposal to find the people responsible for this shooting.
This includes using the city’s technology to find the type of vehicle the shooter was in.
“We are in the process of identifying the culprits who want bring to harm our community,” he stated. “We are going to do everything in our power to identify this individual and individuals and bring them to justice.”
Callers described to 911 dispatchers that the vehicle was silvery gray.
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Hershovitz says people who live around the area remain shaken up by what happened Tuesday afternoon.
Bernard Jordan told News Center 7 Tuesday night lives in Downtown Dayton and heard the gunfire.
“I saw police down there and a crowd,” he said. “I saw it roped off, which I thought was strange but down here you always see something strange. This is a nice place, but this is a wonderful place to live. You know, it’s just the surroundings.”
The shooting remains under investigation by Dayton Police.
We will continue to provide updates on this developing story.
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Mayor Jeffrey Mims and Police Chief Kamran Afzal address the incident near the intersection of Jefferson and Fourth Street this evening. pic.twitter.com/LPOfEL36K8
— Dayton Police Dept. (@DaytonPolice) September 20, 2023
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