Four people were shot to death in an Ohio neighborhood and a man was wanted who was considered armed and dangerous, authorities said.
Police in Montgomery County’s Butler Township said officers were called to the area shortly before noon Friday for a report of shots fired.
Chief John Porter said four victims were found with gunshot wounds at “multiple crime scenes” and all were pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said they were looking for Stephen Marlow, 39, who was believed to have fled the area in a sport utility vehicle.
They warned anyone who sees him or the vehicle to call 911 “and not to approach him as he is likely armed and dangerous.” Porter said police do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the neighborhood, but officers would remain in the area in case he returns.
The names of the victims have not yet been released, and Porter said it was not immediately clear what led to the shooting.
“We are working to determine if there is a motive for this horrific tragedy or if mental illness played a role,” Porter said.
He called the shooting “the first violent crime in this neighborhood in recent memory.” The Dayton Daily News reports Marlow was out on parole in February on aggravated robbery and menacing charges stemming from a July 2019 incident in the Dayton suburb of Vandalia, according to Montgomery County court records.
Vandalia closed several public areas Saturday as a precaution after the shooting, including the recreation center, Cassel Hills Golf Course and Pool and the city’s senior center, the newspaper reported.
Court documents do not list an attorney representing Marlow; Saturday, a message seeking comment was left at a number listed in his name.