Dayton police identify man shot by police; suspect pointed gun toward officers, chief says

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DAYTON — Dayton police held a news conference Thursday afternoon to release new details in the investigation of an officer-involved shooting on Wayne Avenue.

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The following information was released:

The incident began with a call for officers to check on a 49-year-old man who was waving at passing vehicles near the 1700 block of Wayne Avenue around 4 a.m., Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl said.

  • Suspect shot by police identified as Shawn Keirns, 49.
  • Keirns was ordered to drop his gun 3 times, said Chief Richard Biehl
  • Two officers shot Keirns at least three times, Biehl said.
  • Keirns remained at Miami Valley Hospital in critical condition.

Here is a timeline of events:

  • 4:02am: Police respond to a welfare check involving Keirns.
  • 4:03am: Caller reports he was flagged down by white male who stole his gun after he rolled down his window.
  • 4:06am: Different caller says they are shot at by man with no shirt on.
  • 4:08am: Officers arrive in area and make contact with man with the gun.
  • 4:09am: Officers fire their weapons, hitting the suspect multiple times.
  • Two sets of cruiser camera footage were shown during the press conference showing the moments just before and while the shots were fired at Keirns by police.
  • The shooting itself was not shown due to the graphic nature of the event, Biehl said. You see Keirns point a gun in the direction of police in the first cruiser camera video.
  • The second cruiser camera video shows a different officer firing his weapon at Keirns. Multiple rounds can be heard being fired.
  • The gun carried by the suspect was a 9mm semi automatic pistol, Biehl said.
  • A gold Honda that was driving on Wayne Avenue was hit by a bullet.
  • Keirns fired the gun he’s accused of stealing seven times prior to police making contact with him on Wayne Avenue.
  • The officers who fired the shots are Officer Joseph Sheen and Officer Harry Dilley.
  • Keirns is also suspected of damaging approximately seven businesses several blocks away along Watervliet Avenue prior to the shooting.
  • Keirns has multiple previous incidents involving violence, drugs and assaulting police, Dayton’s Police Chief said.
  • Keirns has a previous conviction that prevented him from being able to legally have a gun, Biehl said.
  • “They used good judgment,” Biehl said of his officers actions in the shooting. Biehl said Keirns had already fired upon a citizen traveling through the city.

INITIAL STORY:

Previously, Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl said a man was in critical condition after he was shot by officers early Thursday morning.

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The incident began with a call for officers to check on a 49-year-old man who was waving at passing vehicles near the 1700 block of Wayne Avenue around 4 a.m., Biehl said.

"There was a guy walking down the middle of Wayne Avenue at Wayne and Edgar,” a 911 caller “He’s like waving his hands and saying that he needed help.”

One minute later, dispatchers received a report the same man had fired a shot at a passing car.

"I had my firearm sitting on the passenger seat and he grabbed my gun. He ran off and he is firing,” a second 911 caller said. “I don’t know where he went, but I can hear the shots.”

Prior to officers arriving, the man obtained the gun after one of the passing vehicles on Wayne Avenue stopped to check on him, Biehl said. The driver stopped, rolled down the passenger side window, but had a handgun on the seat. The man grabbed the gun off the seat and fired a shot at the car, according to Biehl.

When officers arrived they approached the man, who was still holding the gun. The man did not comply with officers' request to drop the weapon and was shot by police, Biehl said.

The man was taken to Miami Valley Hospital and was in surgery as of 6:45 a.m. He is listed in critical condition, a Dayton police spokesperson said.

Wayne Avenue was closed for over four hours for the investigation but reopened to traffic around 8:10 a.m.

We’ll continue to update this story as we learn more.