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‘We have a problem;’ Leaders speaking out after recent Dayton shootings

By WHIO Staff
By WHIO Staff

DAYTON — City leaders and police are trying to figure out how to fight the growing problem of violence in Dayton.

>>RELATED: Police: 16-year-old shot, killed by officers had modified, fully-automatic handgun

This comes after several shootings across the city.

The most recent was on Saturday when a 16-year-old was shot and killed by Dayton police officers at the 500 block of Negley Place.

As reported Monday on News Center 7, Dayton Mayor Jeffrey Mims held a press conference on the recent shootings and shared his plans to address violence around the city.

“We have a problem, and the evidence is here and clear as far as our community is concerned,” he said.

>>RELATED: ‘I’m hurting;’ Dayton Mayor, city leaders speak out on police shooting that killed 16-year-old

The shooting occurred around 8 p.m. as Dayton police were addressing a “vacant house/block party” issue in the 500 block of Negley Place, News Center 7 previously reported.

Body camera video shows officers attempting to talk to the 16-year-old standing in the street. Seconds later, he starts to run from the police.

Two body camera clips show the teenager turning around toward the police. Dayton Chief of Police Kamran Afzal said he had a gun and pointed it at officers, prompting them to open fire.

>>RELATED: Police: 16-year-old shot, killed by officers had modified, fully-automatic handgun

The teen was hit in the left shoulder and was taken to the hospital where he later died.

The two officers involved were not identified by name. Both have had 6 years of experience with Dayton Police. Both have been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is conducting the investigation and the Dayton Police Profession Standards Bureau will do an internal review of the officer’s actions compared to policy.

>>PHOTOS: Officers shoot, kill male believed to be armed in Dayton

“The community is hurting, I’m hurting because of this loss,” Mims said.

Mims proposed a new community violence interruption program, which aims to prevent gun violence and support young people.

“We must ensure our youth have better outcomes. We must ensure our neighborhoods are safe. We must disrupt this gun violence as a culture. Real change. That is what I am here proposing,” Mims said.

The program uses trained professionals to help teenagers through some of the challenges they may face.

“A program that has been successful in reducing violence in cities across the country are Cure Violence programs. These programs involve focusing on concentrated areas of violence and using trained, culturally sensitive, and credible messengers to disrupt and change community norms around the use of violence,” Mims said.

>>RELATED: ‘Come together, work together;’ People speak out after 1 shot, killed by Dayton police

News Center 7 has reported on several shootings throughout the city in the last several days.

There were six shootings from June 22-26, the Dayton Police Department wrote on social media.

17 people have been shot, two people are dead, and one has life-threatening injuries.

Here is where those shootings took place:

We will continue to follow this story.

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