That amounts to about $2.25 million total for the nine people killed in the shooting spree on East Fifth Street.
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Smaller percentages will be set aside for those injured in the shooting event — if those people can document that they saw a physician or were hospitalized within 48 hours of the Aug. 4 event.
It’s unclear how many people will seek a share of the funds.
“It’s the best attempt at a very, very difficult situation that families are experiencing,” said Mike Parks, president of the Dayton Foundation.
The foundation’s goal is to distribute funds by late November.
“We came up with the best process we could, given the time constraints that we have,” said Brother Raymond Fitz, former University of Dayton president and co-chair of a volunteer committee that is crafting the donations protocol.
The next steps involve public input. The volunteer committee will hold a pair of town hall meetings Sept. 16, at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., to give residents a chance to offer their thoughts on the criteria. The meetings will be at Sinclair Community College’s Building 12, 444 W. Third St., Dayton.
The shooter was killed by police in the event. The foundation has said that the shooter’s family will receive consideration for the death of their daughter, Megan Betts, but not for the shooter. (Megan Betts was the sister of the shooter.)
Parks said Monday that it will be up to the Betts family to decide if they wish to submit an application for donations.
“I don’t think there are absolute criteria of fairness,” Fitz said.
The challenge is considerable, but Parks said those involved have received guidance from communities who have shepherded similar charitable funds shared with victims of mass shootings.
“None of us have ever experienced anything like this,” Parks said.
“Those certified eligible applicants submitting claims relating to victims killed as a result of the shooting in the Oregon District tragedy on August 4, 2019, will receive the highest category of payment under the scope of the Final Protocol,” the foundation said in the draft. “All eligible applicants in this category will receive the same payment regardless of circumstances.”
The shooting victims were: Derrick Fudge, 57; Lois Oglesby, 27; Saeed Saleh, 38; Logan Turner, 30; Nicholas Cumer, 25; Thomas McNichols, 25; Beatrice Warren-Curtis, 36; Monica Brickhouse, 39; and Megan Betts, 22.
Also according to the draft: Twenty percent of the fund — about $600,000 — will go to those who had been hospitalized for 48 hours or more after the event. Another 5% (about $150,000) would go to those who had been treated by a doctor or a hospital within 48 hours of the mass shooting.
After hearing public input, the committee hopes to approve the final criteria by Sept. 24.
The final application forms will then be distributed to all known victims and families beginning Oct. 1. The forms will also be available on the foundation’s website, www.daytonfoundation.org.
Applications for funds are due by 6 p.m. Oct. 31.
For more information or to donate to the Oregon District Tragedy Fund, visit www.daytonfoundation.org and click the link for the Dayton Oregon District Tragedy Fund, LLC or email TragedyFund@daytonfoundation.org. Donations to the fund may also be made at the foundation's web site.
Donations may also be made by texting DAYTON to 20222 for a one-time $10 donation, or by sending a check to the foundation at 1401 S. Main St., Suite 100, Dayton 45409.
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