Beavercreek police say the state will investigate Tuesday night’s shooting of a man brandishing a gun inside a Wal-Mart store. Police say they shot 22-year-old John Crawford, of Fairfield, after he failed to comply with verbal orders. He died later at Miami Valley Hospital.
Chief of Police Dennis Evers says he thinks Beavercreek police reacted appropriately.
"The quick response of officers was instrumental in containing the situation and minimizing the risk to customers," he said.
Evers has asked Attorney General Mike DeWine’s office to have the state investigators look into the shooting. He says his office will cooperate with that investigation.
In 2010 the Dayton Daily News reported one of the officers involved, Sean Williams, fatally shot a man while investigating a domestic violence call in his home. Williams was cleared of any wrongdoing.
Beavercreek police also say 37-year-old Angela D. Williams of Fairborn simultaneously suffered from a medical emergency while shopping in the Wal-mart store. She died later at Soin Medical Center.
Nobody else was hurt.
UPDATE at 11:04am Thursday, August 7: The Dayton Daily News is reporting a law enforcement source believes John Crawford, the man who was killed by police in the WalMart, was wielding a toy gun or a BB gun in the store.
UPDATE at 3;00pm Thursday, August 7: The Ohio Attorney General’s office says John Crawford was holding an MK-177 Pellet Rifle when he was killed by police officers who had been called to the scene to investigate.
The pellet gun is described as a “tactical, variable pump air rifle...useful for both target practice and for going after small game.” It shoots pellets or BBs at a high velocity, and it is an item that Walmart sells in its stores.
Other details of the case are still unclear, but a spokeswoman with the Attorney General’s office says their crime unit’s investigation into Tuesday’s shooting is likely to take months.
