4 dead in US multiple shootings, suspect on the run
At least four persons were killed in multiple shooting incidents in Ohio, United States (US), ANI reported on Sunday. Shootings were reported at numerous locations in Ohio's Butler township, which is located north of Dayton, it said. Officials stated that the local police have started a manhunt for the suspect who may be responsible for the crime and may have escaped the town.
Why does this story matter?
The mass shooting in Ohio comes as the latest in a string of gun violence incidents that have unnerved America. In 2022, massacres in Texas, Illinois, and New York led to the deaths of 38 civilians, including 19 children. On June 24, the US Senate passed a gun violence bill that will run background checks on buyers and help states put red flag laws.
What did the police say?
Police Chief of Butler Township John Porter identified the suspect as Stephen Marlow and termed him a "person of interest" who is likely armed and dangerous, CNN reported. Authorities are being assisted in the search by the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Porter said in a statement.
'Gunman may have escaped in car'
According to police, Marlow may have escaped to Lexington, Kentucky, Indianapolis, or Chicago because he has links to these cities. Porter described Marlow's physical appearance as 5'11" and roughly 160 pounds, with dark hair. He said Marlow, 39, probably escaped in a white 2007 Ford Edge while wearing shorts and a yellow T-shirt.
Appeal to the people about the suspect
Authorities said the accused shooter should not be approached. They asked people with information about him to call the FBI. Police responded to a complaint of shots fired shortly before noon Friday, according to Porter, and the four victims died at the scene. "This is the first violent crime in this neighborhood in recent memory," he said.
Motive behind the shooting
"We are working to determine if there was any motive to this horrible tragedy or if mental illness played any role," the police chief told the media. He stated that police do not feel the neighborhood is now under threat despite the fact that the Dayton Police Bomb Squad and other workers have been sent out.
