“At some point [the suspect] obtained the victim’s phone. Later that morning they contacted each other and made arrangements for him to give that phone back,” he said.
The pair met at the BP gas station at 2361 S. Smithville Road. The shooting was reported at 6:09 a.m. Sunday.
“When they arrived there an argument ensued and a short time later is when (the suspect) shot the victim several times,” Protsman said.
Police found the man dead at the scene when they arrived.
The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as 31-year-old Robert M. Cash.
The Dayton Daily News typically does not identify suspects until they have been formally charged. The chief said detectives were expected to meet with prosecutors Monday afternoon to discuss charges.
Multiple people reported hearing gunfire near Smithville Road. One 911 caller said he took his friend to BP to get his phone from another friend, according to police records.
The man went inside to purchase cigarettes when his friend was shot, he said.
The callers said his friend had was laying facedown and not responding.
He also identified the suspect and said he drove away in a purple vehicle.
Another 911 caller said a person tried to rob him at the BP and pulled a gun out on him, according to police records.
“I’m getting away,” he said. “I’m afraid for my life right now.”
The dispatcher asked the man to return to the gas station to talk to police. The man said he was on his way back, according to police records.
Investigators believed the argument was related to the victim’s phone. Protsman said it isn’t clear if the suspect intentionally took the phone or if the shooting was premediated.
Police used Flock cameras to identify the vehicle the suspect fled in and tracked it to a Bellbrook residence. The 28-year-old suspect is believed to live at the residence.
The suspect switched vehicles and then fled, Protsman said. Again, investigators used Flock cameras to track the second vehicle to Jefferson Twp.
Montgomery County sheriff’s deputies responded to the area and detained the suspect without further issues.
He is being held in the Kettering Jail at this time.
Investigators recovered two weapons, one at the BP and the other in Jefferson Twp. where the suspect was detained. Protsman said the weapon was a rifle, but did not have the make or model.
Neither the suspect nor the victim are Kettering residents and it is not clear why they chose to meet at the gas station, the chief said.
The shooting marked the second homicide in Kettering this year. Protsman said the department hasn’t seen an increase in violent crime statistics.
“We watch these stats weekly and right now there is no trend that we’re concerned about for violent crimes in Kettering,” he said.
Protsman praised the work of Kettering officers, as well as other local law enforcement, in identifying and arresting the suspect. The chief also noted the relationship between the area agencies and their ability to work together.
He said that while violent crime is uncommon in Kettering, the department is able to keep track of regional trends because of its relationship with other agencies.
“We share information about crimes that are going on and people involved in those crimes,” Protsman said. “Even though sometimes it doesn’t happen in Kettering, we’re aware of what’s going on around us to make sure we’re prepared for that.”
This is at least the second deadly shooting reported at the Smithville BP gas station in just over two years. In March 2021, Kettering police were inside the gas station store when they heard gunshots coming from the parking lot.
Two people were shot, including 21-year-old Anthony Gray Jr., of Dayton, who was pronounced dead a the scene. The other victim was shot in the left leg and treated at the hospital, according to police.
In November 2021, Ja’Leel Raymon Brooks was sentenced to 18 years to life in prison in connection to the shooting, according to Montgomery County Common Pleas Court records.
About the Author