Columbus and Grove City police have teamed up to determine why a man went on a shooting spree this morning, leaving an ex-girlfriend and the child of another ex-girlfriend critically injured before he died in a confrontation with Columbus police.
One police officer, identified tonight as SWAT Officer Steve Smith, was wounded in the confrontation with suspect Danny Thornton, 47, outside the Walmart on Morse Road near Easton. He is expected to be released from OhioHealth Grant Medical Center on Saturday.
Police had been looking for Thornton, who they say shot the son of his ex-girlfriend just after 7:30 a.m. in Grove City, as well as another ex-girlfriend, Vicki Vertin, 42, at 8:01 a.m. in the southeast Columbus dental office where she works.
The most critically injured of the victims is Jaiden Dixon, a 9-year-old, who South-Western City Schools spokeswoman Sandy Nekoloff said attends Monterey Elementary School. The boy's mother posted on Facebook this afternoon that Jaiden has been declared dead and that doctors are removing his organs for transplants, but the hospital couldn't confirm that.
Police said Thornton shot the boy in his face when he answered the door of his home on Independence Way in Grove City. The boy's mother -- who had dated Thornton -- was in the home along with two older children at the time but not injured, Capt. Jeff Pearson of Grove City police said.
One of Jaiden's brothers called Grove City police and identified Thornton as the shooter.
"Stay with me Jaiden," he pleaded in the call. "Come on buddy. Come on buddy. Come on Jaiden. Open your eyes Jaiden."
He told police, "Listen, he (Thornton) wants suicide by cop."
From there, Thornton drove to a dental office at 4409 Crossroads Center and shot Vertin, who police said was also a former girlfriend. She was taken to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center with a single gunshot wound and is expected to survive.
Columbus police spokesman Sgt. Rich Weiner said two people called police this morning and identified themselves as acquaintances of Thornton's. They said that Thornton called them, told them that he had just killed two people, and that he was not going back to prison.
By that time, police had issued a warning about Thornton, who they said was armed and dangerous and driving a blue Toyota Camry.
Police eventually found Thornton several hours after the shootings, sitting in his car in the Walmart parking lot. Police and federal officers surrounded the area, boxing in Thornton's car. Thornton was shot when he got out of the car with a handgun and pointed the weapon at officers.
It is not clear whether Smith was shot in an exchange of gunfire with Thornton or struck by shrapnel. Two other SWAT officers, Lawrence Brown and Glenn Thivener, also fired their weapons but were not hurt.
Weiner said a handgun was recovered at the scene.
Copyright 2013 - The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
