Sister Of Dayton Shooter Megan Betts Was One Of The First And Youngest To Die In His Rampage
She was one of the nine people he killed.
Instagram On Saturday night, August 3rd, a young white man walked into a bar in a hip neighborhood in downtown Dayton, Ohio and opened fire in a bar called Ned Peppers. When he was finished, nine people were dead, including his sister Megan Betts and her boyfriend. Ten people total died that night as the police who responded to the mass murder shot and killed the shooter. Megan Betts was 22-years-old. She was the youngest of the people killed. She was reportedly with her brother and her boyfriend that night. The three traveled to the popular downtown night life area together before separating. At about 1:05am her brother opened fire at Ned Peppers bar. The shooting rampage only lasted 30 seconds before nearby police arrived and took him out. Megan's body was found fatally shot in a car. Her boyfriend was found shot in the same car, but he did not die. The shooter was wearing body armor and had extra ammunition on him when he was killed.
The people who lost their lives that night are Megan Betts, 22, Lois Loglesby, 27, Saeed Saleh, 38, Derrick Fudge, 57, Logan Turner, 30, Nicholas Cumer, 25, Thomas McNichols, 25, Beatrice Warren-Curtis, 36 and Monica Brickhouse, 39.
Who was Megan Betts?
1. She and the shooter were the only children of Stephen and Moira Betts.
Megan and her older brother are the only children of Stephen and Moira Betts. The family lives in the town of Bellbrook, about 15 miles south of downtown Dayton, Ohio. Less than 24 hours after the shooting, the police served a search warrant on the grieving parents. A neighbor told the Associated Press: “The [shooter's name redacted] that I knew was a nice kid.” Police Chief Richard Biehl said during a press conference that investigators have had contact with Stephen and Moira Betts.
2. Megan was entering her senior year of college.
Megan's Facebook page reveals that she was about to start her senior year at Wright State University where she was an earth and environmental sciences major. She worked as a tour guide at the Missoula Smokejumper Visitor Center in Montana from May to the end of June as part of a college requirement. Her supervisor told the press that Megan never spoke about her brother.
3. She was well-liked.
Megan's former supervisor at the Missoula Smokejumper Visitor Center, described her to The Washington Post. Daniel Cottrell said she was a "very positive person" and was well-liked by her peers. "We really enjoyed the time she spent working here for us. She was full of life and really passionate. She was a very caring individual."
4. Message from her college.
The Dayton Daily News reported that Wright State University provost Sue Edwards issued a statement to staff and students about Megan's death via email. It said: “Our heart goes out to all those impacted by the horrific event that occurred earlier this morning in Dayton. The quick action of the Dayton Police Department brought and end to something that most assuredly could have been much worse. We are offering our full support and assistance however it might be needed.”
5. The police's quick response saved countless lives.
There are police regularly stationed next door to Ned Peppers. They responded so quickly that the shooter was never able to actually make it through the doorway of the bar. Dayton Police Department Chief Richard S. Biehl said: “Had this individual made it through the doorway of Ned Peppers with that level of weaponry, there would have been catastrophic level of injury and loss of life."
6. The shooter had a "hit list" and a "rape list" in high school
Former Bellbrook High School classmates of the shooter said he was suspended from school for putting together a "hit list" of those he wanted to kill and a "rape list" of those he wanted to rape. The hit list was found written in a school bathroom. Another classmate reported that the shooter repeatedly threatened to kill her during their senior year.
Amy Lamare is a Los Angeles based freelance writer covering entertainment, pop culture, beauty, fashion, fitness, technology, and the intersection of technology, business, and philanthropy. You can find her on Instagram and Facebook.