DAYTON — The man killed in a shooting on Christmas in Dayton has been identified.
The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office identified the victim Wednesday as 39-year-old James Cockrell.
Dayton police and medics responded to a report of a shooting on the 100 block of Melba Street just before 11:30 p.m.
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Dispatch records and a 911 call obtained by News Center 7 indicated that Cockrell had been shot in the stomach.
“He’s breathing but it looks like he was shot in the stomach area,” the 911 caller said.
When police got to the scene, they found Cockrell, who had been shot. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Dayton Police Sgt. Justin Poe.
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News Center 7 was on the scene as police began their investigation and returned to the scene on Wednesday. There, residents made it clear that they were scared to talk to our team or police about what happened because they didn’t want to be a target.
Nearly a dozen people said they heard shots and saw the coroner come to Melba Street. They said this wasn’t the first shooting or act of violence that has happened there. Some didn’t even get up to look out the window when they heard the shots.
The Dayton Police Department’s Homicide Unit is investigating the shooting.
Anyone with information can contact Dayton police and speak to a detective at (937) 333-1232. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Miami Valley Crime Stoppers at (937) 222-7867 or www.miamivalleycrimestoppers.com.
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