DAYTON — A newly-formed 8/4 Memorial Committee is working to create a permanent tribute to honor the Oregon District Shooting victims.
On Aug. 4, 2019, a gunman opened fire East Fifth Street in the Oregon District. In the 32 seconds before police killed him, the gunman shot dozens of people, killing nine.
On Thursday evening, the committee held its first public meeting. Survivors, residents and community leaders shared their thoughts and feelings about how they would like to see those nine victims honors.
>> Oregon District Shooting: 2 years later
Dion Green’s father, Derrick Fudge, was one of the nine victims of the shooting. Green told News Center 7′s Kayla McDermott that he wants the memorial to be educational.
“There’s so many people that are experiencing trauma and don’t know the symptoms that they’re going through,” Green said. “So to be able to educate themselves with what the type of symptoms they are feeling, they might be able to take a step forward and to get the help they might need.”
Green said its important for the community to be a part of the memorial.
“We’re all hurting so we all need to be a part of this,” Green said.
>> Permanent memorial in the works for Oregon District Shooting victims
People at the public meeting told News Center 7 that they still struggle, but hope the memorial will help in the healing. Some said they do not want to see the memorial in the Oregon District because they feel it would be too painful.
News Center 7 has previously reported that green space at the western end of the Oregon District had been donated for a permanent memorial.
There is no timeframe for when a memorial will be built. The committee plans to have four more public forums, but dates have not been set yet.
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