Jones was armed with a High-Point .45-caliber carbine long gun, but it is not clear how many shots he fired, police said. Police are also investigating if Jones legally owned the firearm and any potential relationship between Jones and the victims.
Lawmakers immediately reacted to the shooting on Tuesday.
Rep. Brian Lampton, R-Beavercreek, whose district includes the Walmart location
“First of all, our prayers go out to the injured and their families and also the bystanders — the people that were there that witnessed it. That had to be just terribly frightening listening to gunfire inside of that store,” Lampton said. “I just can’t imagine it.”
Lampton offered his thanks to the police and first responders who arrived at the Walmart at 3360 Pentagon Blvd shortly after the gunman opened fire at 8:35 p.m. Monday. He noted that officers from across Greene County made themselves available to assist.
In lieu of knowing the assailant’s motives, Lampton said the shooting offered another unfortunate prognosis that mental health needs to be an area of focus in the state. The issue was a central component in the state’s recently passed budget.
“I do think it’s indicative of a larger mental health issue that more and more folks are struggling with. We need to do everything we can to promote getting those folks to getting the help they need,” said Lampton, who suggested the state do more to create more mental health professionals and bury negative stigmas that come from seeking help.
Rep. Willis Blackshear, Jr., D-Dayton, the lone Democrat representing the Miami Valley in the Ohio Statehouse
“My heart goes out to the families impacted by this tragedy. When will enough be enough? It’s time for our elected leaders to finally get serious about keeping our communities safe and take real steps to keep guns out of the hands of people who wish to hurt others or themselves,” Blackshear said in a statement released Tuesday.
In a later interview, Blackshear admonished the frequency in which gun violence occurs and called upon the Ohio General Assembly to move forward on several bills that attempt to reduce gun violence, including House Bill 218, which would restore local government’s authority on firearms and House Bill 309, which would establish a 10 day waiting period between when a prospective gun buyer passes a background check and when the purchase can be completed. The Democrat-backed bills have not seen much activity since their introduction.
It’s not clear if either piece of legislation would have made an impact in Monday’s shooting, but the Dayton state representative expressed his belief that the proposals “are at least trying to do something.”
“We need action behind our thoughts and prayers,” Blackshear said.
Sen. Bob Hackett, R-London, who represents Beavercreek in the Ohio Senate
Hackett told this news organization that he was about a block away from the Beavercreek Walmart at the time of the incident Monday night and pulled over as first responders sped to the scene. “I think it when it hits so close to home you just realize how bad the situation is,” Hackett said.
“I just feel so bad for the families. I mean, it’s a horrific thing. You know, What’s the world coming to? It’s just, I mean, it’s bad. Events like this are happening way too much, too great of frequency,” Hackett said.
Hackett, who has long been an advocate for advancing mental health care, linked shootings such as Monday’s to a mental health crisis in Ohio. He said Monday served as a reminder that the state needs to invest more into making mental health care accessible, but noted that it doesn’t move the needle on his stance on laws looking to make guns less accessible.
“I don’t want these events to happen. But as I said, I do not support taking guns away (or not) giving people the right to protect themselves,” Hackett said. “The thing about it is, if you talk to certain elements in society, they laugh about this and say they can always get guns. I mean, they can always get guns, so I don’t think outlawing guns will to any extent really improve the situation.”
Sen. Niraj Antani, R-Miamisburg, and current congressional candidate for the Ohio 2nd
“My sincere hope and wish is that the four injured will be OK, and my thoughts are with their families,” said Antani, who added that he hopes everyone present at the scene gets the care they need.
For Antani, mental health alone isn’t to blame mass shootings such as Monday’s, nor is it the key to stop them from happening. In his view, the incidences are more directly tied to what he called a “culture of violence” that leads some people with poor mental health to endanger the public.
“This further shows that we have to do everything we can to fight this culture of violence that is being developed,” Antani said. “This person was clearly disturbed, walking in and shooting people and turning the gun on himself. Unfortunately, this seems to be a trend of people doing this.”
Antani noted that everything the gunman did on Monday was already illegal, which makes Dayton’s current state senator wary of trying to resolve the problem with more regulation, a solution frequently called for after mass shooting events.
“All we know is this seems to keep happening. Obviously, everybody sort of rushes to the second amendment. I am a supporter of the Second Amendment, I do not support any restrictions on the second amendment; I know there will be people who rush to that, but I would urge people not to rush to that,” Antani said. “This person was clearly disturbed. They did an illegal act by brandishing and firing a firearm (at someone) and that is already illegal, so we need to figure out why this person did this.”
U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, who represents Beavercreek in Congress
The Dayton congressman released a statement Wednesday that read, “As we continue to learn more about Monday night’s tragic shooting, my prayers and support are with the victims, their families, and the people of Beavercreek. I am grateful that the four victims survived the horrific event, and I am praying for the one survivor who remains in critical condition. Thank you to the brave law enforcement officers who worked to protect innocent lives.”
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