Dayton Shooting: Community shows support for officers

STAFF PHOTO

STAFF PHOTO

While the pain of Sunday’s shooting in Dayton’s historic Oregon District still being felt across the region, police officers are feeling appreciation from people they simply pass while on patrol.

Since Sunday, Dayton police officers said they’ve been getting hugs, handshakes and thank you messages from people in the community.

Officer Kevin Cooper with the Dayton Police Department said while some of the officers who took down the shooter only had two to three years of experience, they acted like 30-year veterans.

A man who lives just a few blocks from the shooting scene stopped Tuesday morning to thank Cooper for his service and shook his hand.

Cooper, who is expecting to retire from the department in January, said he has never felt so much love.

He said helping the people of Dayton during the tragedy and lifting them up in the aftermath will be the greatest honor of his lifetime.

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