Dayton police shoot man who pointed gun into chest of supervisor

Dayton police Sgt. Joseph Setty and officers Joshua Blankley and Michael Floyd responded to a domestic violence call late Sunday night in the northeast part of the city and shot a man, Donald Saunders.

Saunders was taken to Miami Valley Hospital, where he is in critical condition.

“The victim is very fortunate that the officers responded as quickly as they did and took the action that they took to protect her from harm,” Carper said. “And I believe the officers are very fortunate under these circumstances that they were not hurt considering that they took action to put themselves in harm’s way to protect this victim from violence.”

No officers were injured during the incident, Carper said. They were placed on paid leave pending an investigation into the shooting, Carper said. That is standard protocol after an officer-involved shooting, Carper said.

The incident happened at around 11:45 p.m. at 1727 Rangeley Ave. near Smithville Road. Police began their investigation when they were called to the residence by a neighbor who called 9-1-1.

“He’s hitting her,” the caller told a dispatcher.

The call came after the woman alerted the neighbor because she needed help.

Officers responded and saw blood on the door and identified themselves. The woman inside screamed, Carper said, and officers sought to render her immediate aid.

“Fearing that the female was being physically harmed and possibly held hostage, officers began forced entry into the apartment,” Carper said. “As officers forced open the door they were met by the suspect, later identified as Donald Saunders, who was attempting to keep the door closed with his body.”

The officers were able to enter the home anyway, Carper said, and saw Saunders in the living room with a semi-automatic pistol in his hand.

Carper said Saunders pointed a weapon directly into the chest of the supervising officer. The supervisor batted the weapon away and the officers engaged Saunders, who was able to maintain possession of the gun and again pointed it at the officers.

“The officers, fearing for their lives, and for the female victim inside, engaged the suspect with gunfire,” Carper said.

Nine shell casings were recovered, Carper said, and Saunders was hit at least four times. Investigators are looking into whether Saunders fired a shot at the officers, Carper said.

The woman who was the victim of the domestic violence was found in a back bedroom with her two young children. Carper declined to go into detail about the specifics of the domestic violence incident but said there was evidence that it took place.

This wasn’t the first time Saunders has had a run-in with the law, Carper said, adding that he has multiple convictions and was barred from having a weapon. Included in the convictions was a rape conviction from 2002 and a kidnapping conviction in which Saunders was released from prison in September for, Carper said.

Carper said Dayton police are continuing their investigation and are working with Toledo Police as the couple had recently moved from there to Dayton.

The case will be presented to the prosecutor’s office for potential charges.