9-1-1 call in fatal Springfield shooting details sister finding victim

A 9-1-1 call moments after a man was shot on a Springfield sidewalk recorded the sister of the victim pleading with authorities to get to her brother quickly in hopes of saving his life.

Authorities identified James White Jr., 25, as the man shot and killed about 2 p.m. Thursday in the 500 block of West Southern Avenue.

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Springfield police didn’t return phone calls Friday seeking an update on the investigation and an incident report wasn’t available.

Two 9-1-1 calls were made moments after the shooting. One of the phone calls is by Karsha White, who she says is James White’s sister, according to a recording of the call obtained by the Springfield News-Sun. She told a dispatcher that she was talking with a friend when she saw that her brother had been shot and didn’t know who had shot him.

“He is one the ground,” Karsha White said. “No, he is not breathing.”

The dispatcher walked her through how to preform CPR on her brother and instructs her to take two deep breaths into his mouth to help him breathe. Karsha White says that James’ White’s chest moves when she does it, indicating that he was receiving the air.

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Springfield Police Division Lt. Jeff Meyer said Thursday that James White was taken to the Springfield Regional Medical Center and was being prepared to be transported to a Dayton hospital when he died.

Neighbors reacted Friday to the shooting. Emma Holder said she was leaving church when she saw a commotion.

“I was leaving church and I saw blue lights flashing,” she said.

She said she walked to the scene to see what was going on.

“It was taped off and I saw people looking on the ground like they were looking for shell casings and I knew something bad had happened,” Holder said.

Neighbor Ruth Lawson said she has been around the neighborhood for many years and it’s sad to see another young man killed.

“You just really never know what he could of become,” she said. “At 25-years-old most people are really trying to figure out what to do with their lives. I can’t imagine how his mother or his siblings must feel.”

She said she hopes people who find themselves in situations that could turn violent rethink their actions before committing a crime they will have to live with for the rest of their lives.

“I don’t think young people realize the finality of using weapons,” Lawson said. “I don’t think they realize. You may be mad at the time but if you shoot somebody or cut somebody, that’s final. There is no turning back, there is no. ‘Oh man, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do that.’”

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