Credit: Dayton Police Department
Credit: Dayton Police Department
Officers were dispatched shortly after 5 p.m. Wednesday to the 1600 block of Suman Avenue off South Smithville Road after multiple callers reported a naked man outside with a large sword.
Dayton Police Department officers Joshua Blankley and John Griffin arrived within three minutes after they were dispatched and encountered the man later identified as Showalter, Chief Kamran Afzal said during a Thursday media briefing at the public safety building.
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Body camera footage shows Showalter running toward an officer with the sword.
“Showalter charged at a uniformed Dayton Police officer with the sword raised and attempted to strike the officer with the blade,” an affidavit stated. “During the offense, officers on scene gave Showalter numerous commands to drop the weapon and to cease his actions. … In response to Showalter’s ongoing armed assault, Dayton Police officers discharged their firearms, which successfully halted Showalter’s advance and disarming him.”
Showalter was shot multiple times in the legs and remains at a local hospital.
Officers Blankley and Griffin are on paid administrative leave pending an investigation, which is department policy.
Based on evidence seen on the officers’ body cameras and in the interest of public safety, Afzal said “it seems appropriate” regarding the use of force in this case.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the shooting, and the Dayton Police Department also is conducting an internal investigation.
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