Newly-released cruiser cam video obtained by News Center 7 and the Dayton Daily News shows the moments just after a Dayton police officer found herself in the middle of a gunfight. The video shows Officer Shena Lally sprinting back to her cruiser to chase after the suspects who fired at her on Willowwood Drive late Wednesday night.
Shots fired at a man's front door Wednesday night were intended for Dayton Police Officer Shena Lally, but the Willowwood Drive resident is certain that he could have easily been the victim.
"If I was coming home right when it opened up, I'd be dead right now," said Nathan, who declined to give his last name because police have not apprehended the suspected shooters. "With all the shell casings over here, the slug is in my car, (I) couldn't even get in the car to get my cigarettes."
Dayton police are still looking for the men who opened fire on Lally around 11 p.m. Wednesday as she investigated another shots fired complaint at 42 Willowwood Ave.
Neighbors called 911 to report that a dark colored SUV was driving through the area firing several rounds. Police Chief Richard Biehl said Lally had exited her cruiser and was interviewing two witnesses when an SUV matching that description sped to her, driving off the roadway into the grass. Someone in the vehicle immediately began firing at Lally.
She dove behind a nearby car for cover, firing at least 14 rounds at the suspects before they sped away toward E.J. Brown Elementary School. The vehicle got stuck on a bike rack in front of the school, and the two suspects bailed out, fleeing on foot. Detectives recovered a handgun on the ground near the abandoned SUV, police said.
Lally was not injured, nor were the witnesses, police said.
Police believe 19-year-old Darryl Young was wounded in the original shots fired call Lally was investigating. He may have been taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in the same SUV that nearly ran Lally over, police said. Investigators found blood inside that vehicle, but Biehl said it's unknown if it's Young's or if it was left by one of the suspects who fired at Lally. Evidence from inside the SUV is still being processed.
Biehl said he believes the people in that SUV intended to kill Lally.
"For that vehicle to literally try to drive toward the officer and shoot at the officer, that's lethal intent. And so it's outrageous," he said. "They're a threat to the community. They're a threat to law enforcement."
Police said they've dealt with violence and drug activity at the Willowwood address in the past. Neighbors said they're concerned crime is escalating, given that people are now shooting at police officers.
"I don't understand that, these young kids these days don't care about anything, don't care about life, I guess," said Michael Ivory, who lives on Willowwood Drive.
Lally, who will have served 15 years with the Dayton police department in July, is on paid administrative leave, per department policy. She is assigned to the central business division.
While Biehl said detectives are working leads and do have "persons of interest" they'd like to speak to, no arrests have been made, and the people in the SUV should still be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information is asked to call police at their anonymous tip line, (937) 222-7867.
