DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — Nine people in Ohio have been killed in the second mass shooting in the U.S. in less than 24 hours, and the suspected shooter is also deceased, police said.

  • Multiple people shot outside a bar
  • Nine people are dead,  27 hurt
  • Shooter wore body armor 

Dayton police tweeted that an active shooter situation began in the Oregon District at 1 a.m., but that officers nearby were able to "put an end to it quickly."

The suspected shooter has been identified but police have not released a name. Mayor Nan Whaley said during a news conference Sunday morning that the shooter wore body armor and carried a large firearm.

UPDATE:

City officials say a vigil is planned for 8:00 Sunday night on Fifth Street in the Oregon Business District

According to Dayton police chief Richard Biehl, the gunman was: 

  • 24-year-old Connor Stephen Betts
  • He opened fire around 1:05 am, in the Oregon district, before police subdued him 30 seconds later.
  • In those thirty seconds, he managed to kill nine people and injure 26 others.
  • One of those victims was his sister, Meghan Betts. The two of them drove to the Oregon district together
  • The shooter wore body armor, a mask, and hearing protection.
  • The weapon he used to carry out the attack was purchased legally
  • He had a limited criminal history, that consisted of a few traffic violations
  • At this time, there is still no motive, or speculation to what his motive may have been

With a population of around 140,000 Dayton is in western Ohio, around 55 miles (90 kilometers) northeast of Cincinnati, 75 miles (120 kilometers) west of Columbus and 120 miles (195 kilometers) east of Indianapolis. 

The FBI is assisting with the investigation. A family assistance center is set up at the Dayton Convention Center at 22 E. 5th Street. Family and friends looking for information on loved ones can go to the convention center or call (937) 333-8430. Dayton Police ask anyone who saw the incident or knows anything about it to call either 937-333-COPS or a hotline 937-225-6217.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine ordered flags across the state remain at half-staff to honor the victims. He issued a statement Sunday morning, saying that he and wife Fran "join those across Ohio and this country in offering our prayers to victims and their families...I commend Dayton Police and other first responders for their bravery adn quick response to save lives and bring an end to this tragedy."

The shooting in Dayton came hours after a young man opened fire in a crowded El Paso, Texas, shopping area, leaving 20 dead and more than two dozen injured. Just days before, on July 28, a 19-year-old shot and killed three people, including two children, at the Gilroy Garlic Festival in Northern California.

The El Paso shooting was the 21st mass killing in the United States in 2019, according to the AP/USATODAY/Northeastern University mass murder database that tracks all U.S. homicides since 2006 involving four or more people killed — not including the offender — over a short period of time regardless of weapon, location, victim-offender relationship or motive. That makes Sunday's shooting in Dayton the 22nd mass killed in the U.S. this year.

The first 20 mass killings in the U.S. in 2019 claimed 96 lives.