Mark Osborn, 52, of Riverside, was pronounced dead inside his residence, and 35-year-old Richard Isaac, of Dayton, was pronounced dead at Miami Valley Hospital, said Riverside police Maj. Matt Sturgeon.
Police were called around 7 p.m. to the house in the 4500 block of Richland Drive after a woman reported she and her fiancé were shot.
“I’m shot in the leg and my fiancé's shot in the main artery,” the caller said. “He’s breathing bad.”
The woman said they were shot by two men and that one left and the other was inside her utility room, according to dispatch records.
Police are asking for a person of interest who was at the home at the time of the shooting to come forward with information. The man, not identified by Sturgeon, is not believed to have been involved in the gunfire, he said.
The initial investigation points toward a drug deal gone wrong or a planned robbery, Sturgeon said.
“Our preliminary investigation looks like these people knew each other, and there’s definitely narcotics and drug activity involved in this situation,” he said.
Two guns were recovered from the house, as well as marijuana and a white powder, Sturgeon said.
The police department is working with the coroner’s office and looking at ballistics and other evidence to determine who shot who.
Sturgeon said Tuesday that police initially thought it was a hostage situation, prompting them to wait before entering the house.
“We knew we had gunfire, we knew we had people that were injured,” he said. “But at the same time, patrol was being set up to make an entry into the house. Until we could get the right people there, the right equipment there, the decision was made to hold off a little before we made entry.”
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation was called to help process evidence, but Riverside will handle the investigation.
“It’s a tragic situation. It doesn’t make a lot of sense,” Sturgeon said. “We see it more and more, these type of things happening. So if somebody has any information that they feel they can offer in any way, please contact the police department.”
The Riverside Police Department dispatch is 937-233-2080. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Miami Valley Crime Stoppers at 937-222-STOP (7867).
We will continue to update this story as more information is released.
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