DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — Six years ago Monday, nine lives were lost in the Oregon District mass shooting.
Though the events of that night rattled the entire region, people in Dayton continue to mourn the loss by coming together as a community, while forever holding that night in their hearts.
Moving forward 6 years after Oregon District shooting
Family, friends and community members arrived at the 8-4 Memorial in the Oregon District to remember and honor the lives lost on Aug. 4, 2019.
“I wanted to come down here to honor him, and place some flowers over there, visited his grave,” said Susan Scherpauer, Logan Turner’s aunt. “I just don’t want people to forget him.”
Turner was one of the nine people killed in the mass shooting that night.
“He would just envelop you in those hugs, and he’s say, ‘I love you,'” said Scherpauer.
The shooting rattled the entire Miami Valley, with many still feeling the effects six years later.
“There’s no timeline on healing, especially for those who lost loved ones,” said Sandy Gudorf, co-chair of the 8-4 Memorial.
Gudorf was the president of the Downtown Dayton Partnership in 2019. Six years later, she, like many other Daytonians, helped create a memorial to honor those lives lost in the tragedy.
The 8-4 Memorial allowed community members to help put together a mosaic. Over 5,000 people participated.
“Putting thousands of pieces in the mosaic,” said Gudorf. “Whatever it takes, this community does.”
The mosaic was led by local artist, Jes McMillan, of the Mosaic Institute.
“It turned out that the process that we do use artistically of bringing people together to create unity, would be the perfect artistic process to bring people together for healing,” said McMillan.
The mosaic, mural and the phrase “Dayton Strong,” are all efforts to remember the lives lost, and also the resilience of the Dayton community.
“Especially after that tragic night, ‘Dayton Strong’ resonated with so many,” said Gudorf.
That strength shown in the community, and in the families of those victims remembering on Monday.
“I mean, it was a horrendous act, and these people need to be remembered for who they were, and never forgotten,” said Scherpauer.
The community is still actively grieving from the loss, and say they will continue to stand together going forward.
The 8-4 Memorial is located at 609 W. Fifth Street in downtown.
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