- Associated Press - Tuesday, August 6, 2019

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) - The Latest on the aftermath of the Ohio shooting (all times local):

8:55 p.m.

The family of the Ohio shooter and his sister who was among the nine killed has released a statement saying they are devastated, and cooperating with law enforcement’s investigation.

The family offered “their most heartfelt prayers and condolences” to the victims killed by 24-year-old Connor Betts, who opened fire early Sunday in Dayton’s Oregon entertainment district.

Twenty-two-year-old Megan Betts was killed by her brother. Officers fatally shot him less than 30 seconds into his rampage.

The FBI has opened an investigation into the shooting, citing Connor Betts’ interest in violent ideology.

The family thanked first responders for their swift action to minimize casualties, and requested privacy “in order to mourn the loss of their son and daughter and to process the horror of Sunday’s events.”

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4:25 p.m.

The FBI has opened an investigation into the Ohio mass shooting, citing the gunman’s interest in violent ideology.

The head of the FBI’s Cincinnati field office says investigators will try to determine what ideologies influenced 24-year-old Connor Betts. Special Agent Todd Wickerham did not specifically say what the FBI was investigating, but said the agency is looking into who might have helped Betts, and why he chose the specific target of Dayton’s Oregon entertainment district.

Dayton’s police chief says Betts had expressed “a desire to commit a mass shooting.”

Betts was wearing a mask and body armor when he opened fire with an AR-15 style gun outside a strip of nightclubs in Dayton early Sunday. He killed his younger sister and eight others before officers fatally shot him less than 30 seconds into his rampage.

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2:20 p.m.

Ohio hospital officials say 37 people have been treated for injuries connected to the mass shooting in Dayton over the weekend.

Authorities have said 14 people were treated for gunshot wounds after a gunman opened fire in a popular nightlife area Sunday, killing nine people. The gunman was quickly shot by patrolling officers who responded to the shooting within 30 seconds from when it started.

Officials say the other 23 people had non-firearm injuries that were sustained when as they fled the scene.

Hospital officials say seven victims remained hospitalized Tuesday.

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1:15 p.m.

A bar manager credits the quick actions of employees with helping to save lives as a gunman opened fire in an Ohio nightclub district over the weekend.

Dane Thomas was the manager on duty at Ned Peppers bar and grill in Dayton’s Oregon entertainment district Sunday when a man armed with an AR-15 style gun killed nine people. A bouncer at the front alerted the staff to the shooter, and employees inside hustled the crowd of people inside out the back way.

Thomas tells WCPO-TV in Cincinnati he and other employees have gone through a Dayton police safety program to prepare for an active shooter situation.

Police patrolling the area fatally shot the gunman within 30 seconds of when he started shooting.

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10:30 a.m.

An ex-girlfriend of the Ohio gunman who killed nine people says he showed her a video of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting on their first date.

Adelia Johnson says in an emailed statement to The Associated Press that Connor Betts often joked about having dark thoughts. She says he told her that he had bipolar disorder and that his talk didn’t scare her because she thought it was a symptom of his mental illness.

Johnson says she met Betts in a college psychology class this year and they dated for a couple of months until May.

She says she doesn’t know what would have caused him to open fire outside a strip of nightclubs in Dayton early Sunday.

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9:50 a.m.

Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is responding to the mass shooting in Dayton by urging the GOP-led state Legislature to pass laws requiring background checks for nearly all gun sales and allowing courts to restrict firearms access for people perceived as threats.

Persuading the Legislature to pass such proposals could be an uphill battle. It has given little consideration this session to those and other gun-safety measures already introduced by Democrats.

DeWine’s Republican predecessor, John Kasich (KAY’-sik), also unsuccessfully pushed for a so-called red flag law on restricting firearms for people considered threats.

DeWine on Tuesday says Ohio needs to do more while balancing people’s rights to own firearms and have due process.

Police say there was nothing in the Dayton shooter’s background to prevent him from buying the firearm used.

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8:35 a.m.

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway says Trump has wanted to visit El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, since he learned of “these tragedies.”

She recounted his visits to grieving communities after mass shootings in Parkland, Florida, and Las Vegas.

Conway says the president also usually meets with local and federal law enforcement, medical professionals and other emergency responders.

She says “you can expect that he will continue to do that.”

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8:30 a.m.

An Ohio lawmaker who took to social media to blame the LGBTQ community, anti-Trump “snowflakes,” legal marijuana and other factors for two mass shootings this weekend is facing pressure to resign, including from the head of her own party.

Ohio Republican Party Chairman Jane Timken called state Rep. Candice Keller’s Sunday Facebook post “shocking and utterly unjustifiable.”

Keller, of Middletown, posted after the attacks that left 31 dead in El Paso and Dayton that liberals would “start the blame game” when blame really belonged elsewhere.

Her lengthy list also included “drag queen advocates,” violent video games and former President Barack Obama. The post was later deleted.

Timken said public servants should bring people together during crisis, not promote divisiveness.

Keller said “establishment Republicans” have never supported her and she won’t resign.

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1:35 a.m.

Ohio’s Republican governor says he’ll run through a set of proposals to deal with gun violence and mental health just days after nine people died in the latest mass shooting in the U.S.

Gov. Mike DeWine says he’ll go into more detail on Tuesday about what he wants do.

The governor was thrust into the gun debate this week after being met with chants of “Do something!” while he spoke at a vigil in Dayton for the victims who died early Sunday in the shooting outside a strip of nightclubs.

Police have said 24-year-old Connor Betts was wearing a mask and body armor when he opened fire with an AR-15 style gun.

Authorities have said there was nothing in the gunman’s background that would have prevented him buying a weapon.

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