UD and Dayton Police Update Community on November Shooting
Photo via Carson Caprella
Michael Oliss | News Editor
University of Dayton Public Safety and the Dayton Police Department announced they arrested a total of six suspects, five with direct involvement in the shooting, after a UD student was sent to the hospital last November. None of the suspects were affiliated with UD. One, the only identified adult, is facing a federal weapons charge.
Flyer News reached out to James Rider, Dayton PD’s Information Officer. He said, “Investigators determined these six suspects were part of a group that searched social media for parties to attend uninvited and potentially disrupt.”
The only named adult suspect is Dylan Hiner, a 19-year-old facing a federal charge of “illegal receipt, shipment, or transport of ammunition by a person under a prior felony indictment.” He remains in custody at Shelby County Jail as he awaits trial.
Federal investigators say they believe that Hiner is the individual who fired shots between residential buildings that night. According to court records obtained by WHIO, Hiner himself said he fired shots from a pistol during the shooting incident. His lawyer declined the right to a preliminary hearing.
The majority of the suspects are minors, with the youngest suspect involved in the shooting being 15 years old. The suspect responsible for the shots that hospitalized a 19-year-old UD student is said to be a juvenile.
“The Dayton Police Department has identified all of the involved suspects in the incident on Evanston Avenue from November 1,” Rider told Flyer News. “The shooter has been identified and still confined as he awaits trial.”
However, UD Public Safety officials said the case remains active. “Our goal is to hold accountable these individuals who came to our campus to commit violent acts,” officials told Flyer News.
UD’s mass email to students said that “It’s important for our students to think before sharing party details publicly and/or online as this can unintentionally make information accessible to individuals who do not have our community’s best interests in mind or even are looking to do harm.”
Rider mirrored that sentiment: “The Dayton Police Department wants to remind the community that posting party details online can unintentionally make that information accessible to individuals beyond those invited. We encourage community members to use caution when sharing event details publicly and to consider privacy settings and other safety measures when hosting gatherings.”
In an email to Flyer News, UD Public Safety officials said they are considering implementing the following changes to ensure student safety in the neighborhood:
-Guest policy and registration of parties/events
-Limits on crowd sizes in public spaces
-Enforcement of the city of Dayton nuisance party ordinance
-Working with students around planned gatherings and general campus safety education
-Increased influence on what occurs on city streets in our student neighborhood
“UD Public Safety is going to be more visible and we ask our community to be our eyes and ears,” officials said. “Contact us if you see something suspicious or criminal.”