Victims of tragedy remembered,
Five men and four women were killed in the mass shooting Sunday morning in the Oregon District, leaving behind family, friends, neighbors and coworkers. Megan Betts
Megan Betts, the sister of the suspected gunman in the Oregon District mass shooting, is one of the nine people killed in the rampage.
Betts, 22, was a student at Wright State University, according to WSU spokesman Seth Bauguess.
Betts was studying environmental science, according to Wright State’s student search online. She planned to graduate in 2020, according to her Facebook page.
Wright State provost Sue Edwards sent an email Sunday to students, staff and faculty to let them know that “two of our dear Wright State family members” were killed in the shooting. Edwards emailed the campus community to let them know that student counseling services will be available for anyone needing assistance.
“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 an end to something that most assuredly could have been much worse,” Edwards wrote in her morning email. “We are offering our full support and assistance however it might be needed.”
Monica Storey Brickhouse
Monica Storey Brickhouse, 39, Springfield is being remembered for her kindness.
A native of Springfield, Brickhouse had since moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia, according to her Facebook profile.
Brittany Hart, a friend of Brickhouse, posted on Facebook that she was “in shock” to learn that her friend had been killed. Brickhouse was “like another aunt” to her, Hart wrote on Facebook.
Hart also wrote on Facebook that she knew Beatrice Warren Curtis, 36, who was also killed in the attack.
“To lose a loved one to senseless violence is just unfair, especially since it could be preventable!!” Hart wrote on Facebook. “I am so sorry this has happened to you all!”
Nicholas Cumer
Saint Francis University President Fr. Malachi Van Tassell said in a letter to the Loretto, Penn., university that Nicholas Cumer, a graduate student in the Master of Cancer Care program, was one of the victims who died.
“Nicholas was dedicated to caring for others. He was recognized at the 2019 Community Engagement Awards among students who had completed 100+ hours of service. In addition he was a graduate assistant with the university marching band,” Van Tassell said.
His family said in a statement to the media that he was a 2012 graduate of Washington High School, near Pittsburgh, and he was days away from finishing an internship in Dayton.
“We are heartbroken by the loss of our Nicholas in this senseless act on August 4. As our family grieves, we ask for privacy at this time.”
Cumer, 25, had completed his undergraduate work with the school as an exercise physiology major. He had been in Dayton as part of his internship program with the Maple Tree Cancer Alliance.
Maple Tree Cancer Alliance said two other employees had been shot but were expected to make a full recovery.
The local nonprofit, which supports those in cancer treatment with programs and emotional support, wrote on Facebook that just last week, the nonprofit offered Cumer a full time position to run one of its new offices.
Derrick Fudge
The sister of Derrick Fudge said he was out in downtown Dayton with family when he was killed.
Twyla Southall said her brother’s son, Dion Green, Green’s fiance and several others were all downtown together with Fudge, who was a 57-year-old Springfield resident.
“They were all just down there enjoying themselves and had stepped out of, I think, one of the clubs and were in a line to get some food,” she said.
Southall, who lives in Columbus, said they called her from the scene that night.
“His son is very distraught,” Southall said.
She said that Fudge loved his family and had a dog Lucy that he “absolutely loved.”
“He was a good man and loved his family,” Southall said. Thomas ‘TeeJay’ McNichols
Thomas McNichols, known to all as TeeJay, and a father of four, was a “gentle giant,” according to his aunt.
“He was so tall and a lot of folks thought he was older than he really was,” said Donna Johnson.
McNichols, 25, was living with Johnson in her Westwood neighborhood home in Dayton. After McNichols got off work from a Dayton factory Saturday, the two sat eating Twizzlers together before he headed out to the Oregon District with a cousin. A few hours later, Johnson got a phone call from a niece early Sunday telling her to get down to East Fifth Street.
McNichols attended Dunbar High School, Johnson said. His children, two girls and two boys, range in age from two to about eight, she said. “Everybody loved him. He was like a big kid,” Johnson said. “When all of the movies come out – Batman, Black Panther – he would get all his nephews and take them to the movies.”
Lois Oglesby
When the phone rang at 3 a.m., Derasha Merrett happened to be up, feeding her newborn. A friend was on the line, delivering horrible news through sobs: “Lois got shot and she’s dead.”
Merrett and Lois Oglesby were more than just friends.
“We grew up as cousins,” she said. “We grew up in the same church, on the same drill team. She works at my kids’ daycare. We all grew up in this little town. We’re all family. We’re all hurting behind this.”
Oglesby, 27, of Dayton leaves behind a newborn and an older daughter, Merrett said. She was excited that her friend had just returned from maternity leave.
“I was like, I’m so happy you’re back at work. Now I don’t have to worry about who has my newborn,” she said. “She loves her kids unconditionally.”
She added that her friend was in nursing school and looked forward to a career that would make the most of her love for children.
“She was a wonderful mother, a wonderful person,” Merrett said. “I have cried so much, I can’t cry anymore.”
“We never, ever would have thought this type of thing would happen right here in our city. A lot of people lot to go down to the Oregon district because they feel safe,” she said. “All of the police that stay down there, they didn’t see that man with an AR-15? Come on.”
Logan Turner
Logan Turner, 30, of Springboro was the “world’s best son,” his mom said.
Turner’s mom, Danita Turner, described her son as both “sweet and smart.”
“He was very generous and loving and the world’s best son,” she said. “Everyone loved Logan. He was a happy go lucky guy.”
Turner, a 2008 Springboro graduate, had just celebrated his 30th birthday on Tuesday and was out with a few friends this weekend in the Oregon District, his mom said.
He had a degree from Sinclair Community College, his mom said. He went on to earn an engineering degree from the University of Toledo. He also attended Wright State University for a while, spokesman Seth Bauguess said.
Turner had recently started working as a machinist at Thaler Machine Co. in Springboro, Danita Turner said.
Beatrice ‘Nicole’ WarrenCurtis
Beatrice “Nicole” Warren-Curtis, who has a young daughter, recently moved to Dayton from Virginia, said Derrick Foward, NAACP Dayton Unit president. Saeed Salah
Saeed Salah, 38, of Dayton was killed in the shooting. The Dayton Daily News is trying to find more information about Salah. If you have information on Salah, call 937-225-2279. Contact this reporter at Kaitlin.Schroeder@coxinc.com. Contact this reporter at Chris.Stewart@coxinc.com. Contact this reporter at Max.Filby@coxinc.com.