A city in mourning
Dayton community comes together following tragedy
Nine doves: People gather in The Oregon District for a vigil the evening after the mass shooting at Ned Peppers. One dove was released to represent the victims who were injured, and nine were released in memorial of each life lost.
Reacting to recent exhibitions of gun violence in the city of Dayton, some students participated in a school walkout on Aug. 22 at 9:37 a.m.
“I had a really positive experience with the walkout,” Grace Baumgardner (12) said. “I chose to participate because gun violence awareness and harsher gun laws have always been really important to me, and especially now with the shooting in Dayton I felt maybe this time government officials will hear what we’ve been saying for years.”
This comes after a tragedy just ten minutes from OHS. The city of Dayton has overcome some difficult incidents so far this year. After devastating tornadoes and displays of hatred in the city, the community has even developed the catchphrase “Dayton Strong” to show how the city will get through the difficulties and rise above it. This saying was brought up again in past weeks after a mass shooting in Dayton that killed nine and wounded 27 others.
Shortly after one o’clock in the morning on Aug. 4, 2019, a man opened fire at the bar Ned Peppers in Dayton’s Oregon District. The shooter, who will remain nameless in this article, was killed by police in the area fewer than 30 seconds after he began firing, which likely prevented many more deaths or injuries.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, Dayton was home to the 247th of 271 mass shootings in the US this year alone. It came within 24 hours of another shooting in El Paso, Texas, in which 22 people were killed.
Since this tragedy so close to home, Dayton has had a strong reaction. At a vigil held the evening after the shooting, the crowd broke into a chant of “Do something” when governor Mike DeWine took the stage.
Kate Miller, an Oakwood resident and parent of sophomore Norah Miller, was at The Oregon District shortly before the shooting.
“I felt lucky and very sad at the same time,” Miller said. “Terrible tragedies can happen anywhere. I don’t believe that any place can be completely immune from their affects [sic]. I’m terribly sad that it happened in Dayton.”
Some students, though not comfortable with the threat, haven’t had their lives seriously affected.
“I am aware that the amount of threats has increased but with this awareness has increased,” Baumgardner said. “I don’t feel safe but not any less than before.”
Despite the tragedy and loss experienced as a community, the city of Dayton has come together to show support to each other.
“It is nice to see Dayton coming together,” Miller said. “It reminds people that we are merely parts of something larger. Hopefully this awareness that we make up a community will bond us together and strengthen our attachment to each other and Dayton.”
An interview with Mayor Nan Whaley is scheduled for September to accompany this article.
To listen to a song inspired by the recent events and written by a Dayton band, click the link below.
