Authorities said four people were shot dead near Ohio on Friday, and they were searching for a man believed to be armed and dangerous.
Police in the town of Butler, Montgomery County, north of Dayton, said officers were called to the area shortly before noon Friday after a report of a shooting. Chief John Porter said four victims with gunshot wounds were found at “multiple crime scenes” and all were pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said they were looking for Stephen Marlowe, 39, who is believed to have fled the area in a white 2007 Ford Edge with Ohio JES 9806 plates. They warned anyone who saw him or the vehicle to call 911 “not to approach him as he is still likely to be armed and dangerous.”
FBI place marlow On Saturday’s wanted list, he was said to have ties to Indianapolis in Chicago and Lexington, Kentucky. The FBI said his last known address was in Dayton.
FBI
Porter said police did not believe there was any ongoing threat in the vicinity, but if he returned, officers would remain in the area. The victim’s name has not been released, and Porter said it was unclear what led to the shooting.
“We are trying to determine if there was any motive for this horrific tragedy, or if mental illness played any role,” Porter said. He called the shooting “the first violent crime in the community in recent memory.”
Marlowe was released from probation in February on charges of aggravated burglary and aggravated threats in July 2019 in the Dayton suburb of Wandalia, the Dayton Daily News reported, according to Montgomery County court records.
Vandalia reportedly closed some public areas Saturday as a precaution in the aftermath of the shooting, including the recreation center, Mount Cassel golf course and swimming pool, and the city’s senior center.
Court documents do not list an attorney representing Marlow; a message seeking comment was left on a number in his name on Saturday.
