The Beavercreek police ID a 20-year-old man who shot and injured four people at the Beavercreek Walmart on Monday night before shooting himself and dying.
Beavercreek police Capt. Chad Lindsey on Tuesday identified the gunman as Benjamin Charles Jones during a press conference.
“As of 2 p.m. Tuesday, three of the victims were in stable condition and the fourth was in critical, but stable condition,” Lindsey said. “Of those injured, three were women and one was a man.”
According to Capt. Scott Molnar, all the victims were shoppers in the store and they were not in one location. “Jones walked into the Walmart, 3360 Pentagon Blvd., around 8:35 p.m.,” police said.
Beavercreek police’s dispatch center received the first 911 call reporting a man with a rifle in the Walmart around 8:36 p.m. And while the police tried to gather information, the man started shooting.
The first responding officers arrived at the scene at 8:39 p.m. and heard gunfire. They entered the store to look for the gunman and they saw him on the floor with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The officers did not fire their weapons.
The FBI is assisting with the case and they have urged anyone with information on Jones’s background to come forward.
Court records examined by the Dayton Daily News show Jones lived on Buell Lane in Dayton near the Huber Heights border when he was convicted of DUI in August.
The Dayton police have put out a statement pledging to support the Beavercreek police and the FBI on the case.
“At this juncture, it does not appear that the Dayton Police Department has had much interaction with this individual,” read a statement from the Dayton Police Department.
“Nevertheless, we are committed to aiding our law enforcement partners in any way possible to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the events leading up to this tragic incident.”
Beavercreek Mayor Bob Stone released a statement on the tragic incident.
“In the face of adversity, the strength of our community shines through. I extend my deepest gratitude to our first responders, especially the Beavercreek Police Department and Beavercreek Township Fire Department, as well as all the collaborating jurisdictions whose swift and coordinated efforts undoubtedly saved lives and minimized the impact of this devastating event,” he said.
“Together, we unite in support and resilience during these challenging moments.”
