9 killed as gunman opens fire in Dayton bar district, hours after Texas massacre -UPDATE: 10 dead

RT
Sun, 04 Aug 2019 11:56 UTC

© Matthew Hatcher / Getty Images / AFP

Police officers in Dayton, Ohio.

Nine people have been killed in a mass shooting in downtown Dayton, Ohio while 26 others were injured. The gunman was taken out by officers responding to the incident.

The shooting happened in the area of East 5th Street in the Oregon District of Dayton in the early hours of Sunday local time, and just hours after another mass shooting in El Paso, Texas.

Dayton police said the shooter used some kind of a long gun in the attack and most likely acted alone. They said they were working on identifying the gunman and establishing the motives behind his rampage.

Miami Valley Hospital spokesperson Terrea Little confirmed that they had received 16 victims from the shooting, but wouldn't provide further details. The police initially reported that there were 16 injured survivors, but Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley later said 26 people were hurt in the gun violence.

The gunman had several ".223 high-capacity" magazines for his firearm, the mayor said, indicating that the casualty count could have been higher if he were not neutralized by the police in "less than one minute" after opening fire.

Footage from the scene showed a heavy police presence in the Oregon District. According to the police, the FBI is assisting in the investigation.

The Oregon District is one of Dayton's 10 historic neighborhoods, while East 5th Street is famous for a number of bars and restaurants. The shooting apparently happened at or near one of those establishments.

The violence in Ohio comes just hours after a mass shooting in El Paso, where a single gunman killed 20 people and injured 26 others. The assault at a Walmart store on Saturday was reportedly a hate crime targeting Hispanic people.

Comment: UPDATE from RT: Dayton shooter used Kalashnikov-type rifle, 10 dead - mayor

The Dayton, Ohio mass shooting suspect used a Kalashnikov-type rifle to kill 9 people before being killed by police, the city mayor said. Local hospitals treated 27 people in the aftermath, and some remain in critical condition.

Mayor Nan Whaley and other Dayton officials gave an update on the night shooting in the city's historic center. The Kalashnikov-wielding attacker was wearing body armor and had several high-capacity magazines for his rifle, the mayor said. He was shot dead by police officers, who arrived at the scene less than a minute after the massacre began.

Of the 27 people who were brought to hospitals or walked in with injuries in the aftermath of the shooting, 15 have been discharged. Five patients are in critical or serious conditions, with multiple surgeries scheduled to treat them.

Whaley said the Oregon district, where the shooting took place, will be open later in the day.

See also: Murderous rampage unfolds at Walmart in El Paso, Texas: Eyewitnesses report multiple gunmen - UPDATE: 20 dead