Connor Betts, 24, donned a bulletproof vest and a mask as he opened fire with a .223-caliber high-capacity rifle.
It took just 30 seconds for authorities to stop a gunman who opened fire inside a Dayton, Ohio, bar over the weekend, but nine people were killed in that time and dozens more injured.
Suspect Connor Betts, 24, donned a bulletproof vest and a mask as he began shooting with a .223-caliber high-capacity rifle on the street in the Oregon District in Dayton, well-known for its bars and theaters. Betts was reportedly headed toward Ned Peppers, a bar in the area, but was shot dead in less than a minute by police patrolling the area in the early hours of Sunday morning.
"I really want to — think about that minute. The shooter was able to kill nine people and injure 26 in less than a minute," Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley said. "And if we did not have police in the Oregon District and the thousands of people in the Oregon District enjoying their Saturday evening, what we could have had in this city."
Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl said the “loss of life” would have been “catastrophic” had the gunman made it through door of the bar.
Betts’ sister, Megan, 22, was among the dead. The others killed ranged in age from 25 to 57, according to reports.
Ned Peppers posted on Instagram that all of their staff was “safe” after the shooting.
“Our hearts go out to everyone involved as we gather information,” the bar wrote.
Police have still not identified a motive for the mass shooting. Former classmates of Betts told The Associated Press that Betts had once been suspended from Bellbrook High School for writing a “hit list” in the school’s bathroom. He also showed up to school with a “rape list,” according to his classmates.
The tragic shooting came less than 24 hours after another mass shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, where a gunman opened fire and killed 20 people and injured 26 more.
A 21-year-old, Patrick Crusius, was taken into custody in connection with the massacre. He was booked into jail on a charge of capital murder and has not yet entered a plea.
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