Is Dayton seeing more violence so far this year? Police investigate 3 weekend shootings
Dayton police are investigating three shootings, including two deadly shootings, that have happened since Thursday. New statistics show that the city is off to a more violent start compared to last year.
The first of the two homicides happened Thursday night in the 2800 block of Yergen Court. A number of people called in to report hearing a number of shots.
“We just heard gunshots right outside our door, there’s a lot of them,” one 911 caller told dispatchers in a call obtained through a public records request.
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Call after call came into dispatchers as Dayton police headed to the scene. People told officers they believed two people or groups had faced off.
“They were just shooting a lot, shooting at each other,” another 911 caller said.
When the got on scene, police found 28-year-old Shaquiel Clemons suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Clemons would later be pronounced dead on scene.
In the days that would follow, police would respond to two more shootings. The first happened Saturday night on Superior Ave., when a man told police he had been shot by someone trying to rob him.
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The victim was taken to Miami Valley Hospital and remains in stable condition.
Then, just after midnight on Sunday, police responded to another deadly shooting. This shooting happened on Oxford Ave.
When police got to the scene, they found an adult man who had been shot in what they believe to be a targeted attack. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
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All three investigations have not resulted in arrests yet.
Police said the shootings that have happened are part of what looks to be an upswing in violence this year. City statistics obtained by News Center 7 showed that there have been a half dozen homicides so far this year, the same number as a year ago. However, aggravated assaults and all violent attacks are sharply higher this year compared to last year.
Police are asking everyone to go ahead and talk with their neighbors and friends, and try to stress solving problems with words instead of violence.
