A coalition of racial justice organizations, community leaders and concerned residents gathered in front of Dayton City Hall to call attention to the police killing of Reginald Thomas and to demand accountability from the city of Dayton and its leadership.
Reginald Thomas was stopped by a Dayton police officer about 9:30 p.m. March 24 while riding his bicycle at North St. Clair and East Third streets.
Body cam recording shows the officer telling the man he was stopped because he didn't have a light on his bike and was riding on the sidewalk. The officer asked Thomas if he had a gun and asked to do a pat-down search. Thomas then ran away, and the officer ran after him.
Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal has said Thomas took out a gun during the foot chase. Ohio law allows people to carry a concealed weapon but also requires people to tell police that when asked.
“Why was Reginald Thomas stopped in the first place? He was riding a bicycle and minding his own business. The community deserves answers. If police had left this man alone, he would still be alive today,” said Zakiya Sankara-Jabar, co-founder and co-executive director of Racial Justice NOW!
Several speakers voiced their concerns and frustrations at the press conference, including Jared Grandy, former community-police relations coordinator for the city of Dayton.
"If it was a pretextual stop, was it related to all of the crime-fighting efforts going on downtown to protect interests of people who don't even live or work there as of now?" Grandy said. "We have a long-standing history in the city of Dayton of using pretextual stops that end up in deadly interactions between citizens and the police officers who are charged to serve and protect them. This was predictable, unfortunately, because we've seen this happen over and over again."
The officers involved in the incident weren't named due to Marsy's Law, an Ohio law intended to protect the privacy of crime victims.
The Dayton Police Department didn't respond to WYSO requests for comment.
"I want to assure you that this matter will be investigated fully, thoroughly, and with complete transparency," said Dayton Mayor Shenise Turner-Sloss in a statement on Monday. "I also want to clarify that the statements made by the chief of police during the press conference on March 25, 2026, were only the beginning of this process and not its conclusion."
The investigation of the shooting will be conducted by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the Professional Standards Bureau. It will also include a review by the Independent Accountability Auditor.
Community leaders said the news conference wan't only about one incident, but broader concerns regarding policing, racial profiling and accountability in Dayton. They called for a number of reforms, including:
- An independent third-party investigation into the killing of Reginald Thomas.
- Immediate public release of all body camera and dash camera footage.
- Full transparency from the city of Dayton and Dayton Police Department.
- Accountability for all officers involved.
- An end to racial profiling and pretext stops.
- Creation of a civilian review board with subpoena power.
- Investment in community-based public safety solutions and violence prevention.
