DAYTON, Ohio — An investigation is underway, and a community is on edge after police shot and killed a teenager over the weekend. As police release partial body camera video, activists are calling for answers. 

What You Need To Know

  • An unnamed Dayton police officer shot and killed a teenager identified as 16-year-old Brian Moody Saturday night

  • The police chief said the teenager had a gun, ran away, turned around, and that's when they opened fire 

  • Activist who have survived and been victims of gun violence are calling for accountability and answers to how this happened 

A teenager identified as 16-year-old Brian Moody is seen running away from police as they tried to talk to him. The body camera footage is unclear, but Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal said officers saw a gun and when he turned toward them, they opened fire. 

“Based on the autopsy is that he (Moody) was hit in his left shoulder, so obviously, when he’s turning around, as you can see, that’s the point that the bullet hit,” said Afzal.

In a news conference, the chief said the teenager had a Glock 17, posted pictures with guns on social media hours before, and said officers found this one next to his body on Negley Street. 

Afzal said officers were patrolling that area because of recent “pop up” parties in vacant houses that turned into shootings, but why they were after this teenager is still a question.

“That’s part of the crime investigation as to what drew their attention to this particular individual. What actions were they observing with their eyes that they said, ‘This is the person I talk to,’” said Afzal. 

When three community activists look at the scene, they feel something else. 

“I was just, my whole heart just melted it,” said activist Sabrina Jordan.

Jordan’s son was shot and killed by Moraine police in 2017.

“I know the feeling, the devastation, being stuck into like, what do I do now?” said Jordan.

In 2019, Dion Green survived the Oregon District mass shooting, but his dad didn’t. 

“It’s a network that nobody wants to be a part of but, you know, we’re here for life and we lean on each other in these moments. You know, this is this is heart is heartbreaking for all,” said Green.

Since then, the two have started their own groups to support shooting survivors and victims and teamed up with Carlos Buford from Dayton’s Black Lives Matter. 

“It’s almost another traumatic event we got to go through again in our community, where we were already traumatized by prior shootings,” said Buford.

Together they’re calling for police accountability, transparency and supporting the family so another one won’t have to see a shooting. 

Moody’s family could not be reached for comment, but activists close with the family said they do now have their own lawyer looking into the case. 

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department is also investigating. 

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