No criminal charges for Dayton officer who shot man during vehicle chase

Credit: Joseph Cooke

A Dayton officer who shot a man during a chase involving a stolen vehicle will not face criminal charges.

A Montgomery County grand jury declined to indict the officer in the June 12 shooting of Rodney Smith Jr.

Dayton police were looking for a stolen Ford Fusion when the shooting occurred near Miller and Hoover avenues.

Rodney Smith Jr. Photo courtesy Miami Valley Jails.

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Police were participating in a joint violence deterrence initiative with the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s aviation unit when troopers saw the Ford near Olive Road and West Third Street in Trotwood.

Dayton officers attempted to stop the car, but it fled, according to Montgomery County Municipal Court Western Division records.

OSHP’s aviation unit continued to track the Ford while providing Dayton police with live updates on its location.

While on Miller Avenue, the Ford pulled up next to a pickup truck with a trailer. Troopers noted something may have been exchanged or thrown from the Ford, according to court records.

When Dayton police reached Miller Avenue, the truck was across the road, blocking police.

Body camera footage showed an officer exit of the cruiser with their gun drawn and call for the driver to get out of the truck.

The driver, later identified as Smith, got out of the truck and ran across the street, away from police.

The officer can be heard yelling “he’s got a gun,” on the body camera footage.

Dayton police Chief Kamran Afzal said it appeared the officer shot Smith as he was looking back at the officer.

The officer fired one shot.

Smith had a 9mm Glock 19x 11 live rounds and one in the chamber, Afzal said.

Police provided medical care until medics arrived and transported Smith to the hospital.

Smith is facing having weapons while under disability, aggravated possession of drugs, possession of drugs and obstructing official business charges in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court.

The obstructing official business charge is a second-degree misdemeanor.

The driver of the Ford, Heaven Shepherd, was indicted on receiving stolen property, failure to comply and possession of heroin charges.

The court granted Shepherd intervention in lieu of conviction, meaning charges will be dismissed if she successfully completes her intervention plan.

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