A Dayton police officer who was shot in the side of his head Tuesday night showed remarkable calmness and professionalism while on the ground and bleeding, the Dayton Police chief said.
Thadeu Holloway, an eight-year veteran of the department, returned fire, striking the suspect multiple times. He then requested help for himself and the wounded suspect, and directed bystanders to safety, said Interim Director and Chief Matt Carper, all while bleeding.
A body-worn camera captured the 45-second encounter between the officer, the suspect who shot him, and the immediate aftermath.
"The concern he showed not just for his own well-being but for the well-being of the suspect, and those around and the responding officers, and the citizens of the area," Carper said.
Holloway was shot around 7:30 p.m. in the 600 block of Ingram Street and was taken in a police cruiser by another officer to Miami Valley Hospital, where he required surgery for a torn temporal artery but was in stable condition Wednesday.
The suspect, 39-year-old Antwyane Deon Lowe, was also taken to the hospital and was said to be in serious but stable condition. Lowe's condition initially was critical, but improved Wednesday.
Carper on Wednesday showed body camera footage of the incident. Holloway is shown bleeding in the grass and onto his body camera. Holloway remained calm, requested assistance and communicated with residents in the area to keep them safe.
"609 Ingram. I've been shot. ... I returned fire. I need medics and I need crews, please," Holloway told dispatchers. "609 Ingram. Please hurry. I've been shot on the left side of my head. I can barely hear my earpiece."
Holloway can also be heard on the body camera footage politely requesting people in the area to either stay where they are or to stay inside.
And even when the first officer arrived to back him up, Holloway refused to leave the scene because the suspect was still breathing and had a gun.
"He still has a gun under him," Holloway said. "Wait for more crews."
The incident started when Holloway responded around 6:45 p.m. to Dollar General at 888 S. Gettysburg Ave. for a fraud complaint after a customer passed a counterfeit bill earlier in the day, Carper said.
Holloway arrived at 7:24 p.m. on Ingram Street to look for the suspect. At 7:26 p.m., Holloway arrived at the rear of 609 Ingram St. and approached Lowe, who matched the description of the suspect in the Dollar General fraud call, Carper said.
Holloway approached and addressed Lowe, who ignored the officer and began to walk away. As Holloway got closer, Lowe dropped a backpack and quickly punched Holloway in the face without warning, Carper said.
The officer used his Taser. The suspect fell to the ground but was able to reach into his pocket and pull out a handgun, firing one round that struck the officer in the left side of the face, Carper said.
"The officer fell to the ground and immediately returned fire with five rounds, striking the suspect multiple times. Despite his injuries, the officer was able to effectively request assistance for himself and the wounded suspect," Carper said. "The officer also provided for the safety of witnesses and bystanders by directing them to a place of safety."
Carper said charges will be filed against Lowe, including two counts of felonious assault on a police officer as well as carrying a concealed weapon, weapons under disability and counterfeiting. The chief said Lowe does have a criminal record, including a prior assault on a police officer in 2013.
Lowe was not legally allowed to possess a weapon.
At the Dayton City Commission meeting Wednesday morning, Mayor Nan Whaley said the shooting was a stark reminder of the dangers Dayton police officers face while on the job.
"We are grateful for the people who put their lives on the line who work for the city every single day," Whaley said.
Holloway is the first Dayton officer shot in the line of duty since Det. Jorge DelRio was shot and killed in a drug raid in November 2019.
Staff writer Jen Balduf contributed to this report.
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