DAYTON CHIEF: MAN TOLD TO DROP HIS GUN BEFORE OFFICERS FIRED

Re’al Streety in critical condition after he was shot as Dayton police pursued violent gun offenders.

The man shot by Dayton police Thursday during a blitz to arrest violent gun offenders is in critical but stable condition.

Re’al Streety, 19, was shot after police gave multiple commands to drop a weapon during a foot chase on Kosmo Drive, said Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl. There were money, gloves, a scale, phone and a mask near where Streety was apprehended, according to police.

“Pending charges include at least having weapons under disability, drug possession and likely others,” Biehl said.

Streety was one of the four suspects police were looking for when they started the gun violence operation Thursday morning, but he wasn’t in the vehicle police originally pursued, Biehl said Friday afternoon.

Robert Trammel Smith, 24, was driving a gray Jeep that initially fled police during an attempted traffic stop, officers said. Police said the vehicle ran a red light and it had extensive window tint, Biehl said. The plates also were not registered to that vehicle and they began the pursuit, accompanied by marked and unmarked police cars, Ohio State Highway Patrol and OSHP aerial units that were participating in the blitz.

Smith eventually parked, got out of the Jeep and entered the backseat of a red Toyota in which Streety was a passenger, Biehl said. His sister Real’iti Streety was driving. When police surrounded the vehicle, Re’al Streety took off on foot, carrying a firearm.

Re’al Streety has a history of fleeing from officers, Biehl said. He has a criminal history of having weapons under disability, carrying concealed weapons, possession of heroin, possession of fentanyl, possession of drugs, resisting arrest and failure to comply.

It’s unclear if Re’al fired any shots, but investigators will complete tests on the suspect’s weapon.

During the chase, three officers, including William Overholtz, assigned to east patrol operations, detective Jason Rhodes of the street crimes unit and homicide detective Dave House, fired “about seven shots,” said Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck. At least one hit Re’al Streety, Biehl said.

The Montgomery County

Sheriff ’s Office is handling the criminal investigation of the incident because a homicide detective was involved, which is usually the unit that investigates officer-involved shootings, Biehl said.

The investigation is expected to take about six weeks, Streck said.

“It’s fortunate it appears the person will recover. That’s a blessing,” Biehl said. “No one wants to have to live with the reality of taking someone’s life.”

Smith was arrested for failure to comply, having weapons while under disability and improper handling of a firearm in a vehicle, according to police records. Charges have not been formally filed at this time. There also was a firearm in the vehicle with an extended magazine.

The violent crime blitz was originally planned because of an increase in violent crime on Dayton’s streets, Biehl said.

“We had record decline in crime in 2017, largest decline in both property and violent crime ... in a decade. We won’t maintain that reduction in crime if we allow these escalations to continue,” Biehl said. “The specific purpose of these gun violence reduction initiatives are to maintain and reduce the violence by focusing on those that we have the best information and are likely driving it.”