Dayton Shooter Began Night With Sister, Later Killed Her

Megan Betts, 22, was among the nine people killed early Sunday in Dayton, Ohio. She was the only one of them who also began her night with the gunman. Police say Betts traveled to the downtown area in the same car as the shooter, her 24-year-old brother Connor. They went their separate ways, but NBC News quotes Police Chief Richard Biehl as saying Megan Betts was one of the first people who was shot. Biehl also elaborated on the shooter's gear: a .223-caliber rifle with 100-round drum magazines, a bulletproof vest, and hearing protection. Police were in the area when the shooting started and killed the masked gunman 30 seconds after his shooting spree began and as he tried to make his way into Ned Peppers Bar.

"Had this individual made it through the doorway of Ned Peppers with that level of weaponry, there would have been catastrophic level of injury and loss of life," Biehl said. No motive has been given, and CNN reports police are working to figure out where the gunman went after separating from Megan Betts. The Washington Post reports police said a male "companion" also rode in the 2007 Toyota Corolla with the Betts; he was shot along with Megan Betts but survived and has spoken with police, per NPR. Six of the nine victims were black. The AP reports police believe the extremely brief window in which the victims were killed suggests the gunman shot at random. In addition to Betts, they were named as:

• Nicholas P. Cumer, 25
• Thomas J. McNichols, 25
• Lois L. Oglesby, 27
• Logan M. Turner, 30
• Beatrice N. Warren-Curtis, 36
• Saeed Saleh, 38
• Monica E. Brickhouse, 39
• Derrick R. Fudge, 57

(More Dayton shooting stories.)