Armed man shot, killed by officers during Dayton mental health call ID’d

Dayton police responded to the 1200 block of Rosedale Drive around 8:36 a.m. Saturday after a woman called 911 and reported a man threatened to kill her.

“He needs to go to the hospital,” the woman told Montgomery County Regional Dispatch.

She added the man, later identified as Cotton, told her he was going to kill her. The caller also claimed he set fire to a neighboring house the day before.

In a second 911 call the woman told dispatch he had a gun. In the background of the call, a man can be heard threatening a shootout.

When police arrived at the scene they made contact with the 911 caller. Around 8:43 a.m., Cotton came back to the residence in a car.

Because of previous comments about Cotton being armed, a call for county-wide assistance was issued. Law enforcement agencies from multiple departments, including Moraine police and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office responded.

Crews spent approximately 25 minutes attempting to de-escalate the incident, according to police. Dayton police Maj. Paul Saunders said the commander of the department’s hostage negotiation team and a senior crisis negotiator were on duty and at the scene.

Ata approximately 9:09 a.m., Cotton got out of the car and pointed a shotgun at officers and officers open fired.

Six Dayton police officers, one Moraine officer and one Montgomery County sheriff’s deputy fired their weapons, Saunders said.

Officers began providing aid until medics could take over. He was transported to Miami Valley Hospital, where he succumbed to injuries.

Investigators later determined the shotgun was unloaded, according to Saunders.

“This is less of a criminal issue and more of a mental health issue,” he said.

There were officers on the scene with less lethal means of force, but crews were waiting for armor to arrive.

“What we need in those situations is to be able to adjust the time and space,” Saunders said. “Having the wherewithal to call for armor immediately to try to give us the tools to get closer to maybe resolve this was the intent.”

Cotton had a criminal history as well a history of mental health issues, according to police.

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is handling the shooting, and the department’s Professional Standards Bureau will conduct a separate administrative investigation.