UPDATE @ 6:51 p.m. July 23:
Alkaia Wilcoxson clutched the red heart balloon to her chest Thursday afternoon as she listened to her grandmother talk about her father’s murder until the tears started streaming down her face. Then, with her grief, she let it go, the white ribbon streaming out of the 8-year-old’s hand with one thrust.
“I love you, Daddy, and I want to see you again,” the girl said, sobbing.
The child was one of dozens of people who gathered at 2229 Germantown St. to mourn 24-year-old Eric Wilcoxson. The father of four, brother, son and friend was shot following an argument at Gina’s Liquor Store Wednesday night.
Dayton police said he was shot by someone in a gold Ford Taurus with a white fender, which was recovered by officers near Haberer Avenue and Ingram Street Thursday afternoon. Wilcoxson was taken to Miami Valley Hospital by a bystander, and succumbed to his injuries. The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office said he died of a gunshot wound to the chest, and ruled his death a homicide.
Lt. Wendy Stiver said detectives were still working to find the shooter Thursday night. Wilcoxson’s death marks the city’s 14th homicide this year.
While standing outside the store where her son was shot, Wilcoxson’s mother, Cynthia Patterson Webb, see-sawed between tears and steely resolve as she explained how she’s coping.
“I saw him two hours before he died,” Webb said. “He said, ‘I love you, Momma. See you later,’ kissed the kids and he left. And then the next call I get is that Eric is in the hospital and was taken there by someone who picked him up off the street.”
She urged those who gathered to mourn her son to report any information about the shooting to police.
“Whoever killed Eric should turn themselves in because this has got to stop,” Webb said. “They have to stop the violence, stop the shooting, stop the killing, stop from hurting other people’s kids.”
Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers at (937) 222-7867.
UPDATE @ 2:50 p.m.: The family of Eric Wilcoxson is holding a vigil at Dennison and Germantown this afternoon at 4 p.m. They are asking the public to bring balloons for the event to honor the victim.
UPDATE @1:14 p.m.:
Muliple 911 callers quickly reported to dispatch they heard several gunshots, commotion outside and screaming and hollering.
One distressed caller said he was inside with grandma when they heard “boom, boom, boom, boom, boom,” and ran outside to see what was going on. He told dispatch he saw a gray Grand Prix at the scene.
Another caller reported she saw someone put him in a car and they were rushing him to the hospital, according to dispatch.
UPDATE @ 10:40 a.m.: The coroner's office has confirmed the victim was Eric Wilcoxson, 25. He lived on Home Ave. WHIO's Jessica Heffner is talking with police and with the victim's family. We'll have more on News Center 7 and here on WHIO.com.
UPDATE @ 12:35 a.m. (July 23):
Police have confirmed that one man found in the area of Germantown Street and Dennison Avenue is dead of multiple gunshot wounds, possibly from a semiautomatic weapon, and they are looking for a suspect.
Initial reports that two people had been wounded are unfounded.
Dayton Sgt. Creigee S. Coleman said witnesses told police the suspect was involved in an altercation with the victim in the 2000 block of Germantown Street and gave chase, firing at the victim as they ran. There may have been eight to 10 people possibly following the victim when someone took out a gun and fired, hitting him “an unknown amount of times.”
Coleman said the preliminary investigation also reveals that someone saw the victim in the street, put him in a vehicle and drove him to Miami Valley Hospital. The victim died there. Police have seized that vehicle and have detained the driver for questioning.
At the scene, detectives found at least four shell casings believed to have been fired from a semiautomatic weapon.
“At this point we believe it’s possibly one shooter,” the sergeant said. “From what witnesses said, all they heard was ‘pop, pop, pop.’ At this point, we do not know if there was more than one shooter.”
UPDATE @ 11:30 p.m. (July 22): One of the two people wounded in the shooting has died at Miami Valley Hospital, we've learned.
FIRST REPORT
As many as two people are reported shot in the area of Germantown Street and Dennison Avenue.
Several officers are in the area and have blocked traffic on Germantown. Police and medic units were dispatched about 10:55 p.m.
We’re told one of the victims has been taken to Miami Valley Hospital and the other was found in the street.
We have a crew on the way. We will update this report as we get information.