Interim Director and Chief of the Dayton Police Matt Carper said the incident began when the officer responded around 6:45 p.m. to the Dollar General store on Gettysburg Avenue for a fraud complaint. He then arrived on Ingram Street at 7:24 p.m. to look for the suspect, Carper said.
The officer made contact with a 39-year-old man believed to be the suspect who then struck the officer, Carper said.
“The officer used his Taser on the suspect, who went to the ground, retrieved a handgun and fired at least one round at the officer, striking the officer on the side of his head. The officer then returned fire, striking the suspect multiple times,” Carper said.
The officer, whose injuries were described as not life-threatening, was taken by another officer in a cruiser to the hospital. The suspect was taken by ambulance to the hospital.
At the Dayton City Commission meeting Wednesday morning, Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley said that Tuesday’s shooting was a stark reminder of the dangers Dayton police officers face while on the job.
“We had a very close call last night,” she said. “We are thinking of the officer and praying for the officer.”
She added, “We are grateful for the people who put their lives on the line who work for the city every single day.”
Whaley told this newspaper that the initial information suggests the officer “did everything right.” She said this shooting also is a reminder that there are too many guns in this community.
The officer was struck on the side of the head by a bullet.
“I’m super relieved that it looks like he will be fine,” Whaley said. “He got very, very lucky last night.”
