8 officers fire shots, kill armed man after responding to mental health call

DAYTON — A man was shot and killed after investigators said he pointed a shotgun at officers who were trying to help him during a mental health crisis.

As reported on News Center 7 at 5, Dayton police said they were called to the 1200 block of Rosedale Drive Saturday morning after a woman called 911, claiming her son was going to shoot her if police showed up.

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The mother told police that Saturday was day two of her son’s mental health episodes.

“He set the house on fire next door. I knew it was my son. I knew it was,” the mother told dispatchers.

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Shortly after officers arrived on the scene they made contact with the man, only identified by police during a press conference Monday as a 26-year-old Black male.

Officers attempted to de-escalate the situation for 30 minutes, according to Dayton Police Maj. Paul Saunders.

Saunders played body camera audio that showed officers attempting to negotiate with the suspect.

“Tyler please don’t make us do this man. We’re not here for this. No one wants this,” an unidentified officer can be heard saying in the audio.

Saunders said the suspect had previous mental health and criminal history. One Dayton officer on the scene even recognized the suspect and said he had taken him to the hospital before.

Police did not show body camera footage as they said it showed family members and the suspect.

“This is less of a criminal issue and more of a mental health issue. We treat it as such,” Saunders said.

Saunders did play a short video clip that appeared to show the suspect getting out of his car and pointing his gun at officers.

Eight officers were involved in the shooting itself — six from the Dayton Police Department, a deputy from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and a Moraine police officer.

Quentin Ross was at home when police officers put up crime scene tape around his neighborhood.

Ross knew this involved someone dealing with a mental health crisis.

“It’s not one of those things that you really kind of understand how they’re going through, because everybody’s different, right?” Ross said.

All eight officers involved are on administrative leave and receiving counseling.

Police later learned the gun was not loaded.

Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is handling the criminal investigation of the shooting.

We will continue to follow this story.

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