Trotwood active shooter standoff ends peacefully after 2½ hours

An active shooter situation that began at 11:30 a.m. Friday with a 911 call about an accidental shooting in Trotwood ended peacefully at 2 p.m. with a white male surrendering, according to police.

In between, Trotwood police Chief Eric L. Wilson said his officers believed they were targeted by a man who came outside a house on Wolf Creek Pike.

“Upon officers’ arrival, they were met with a female victim in the front yard of the residence here,” Wilson said. “Once they were on scene treating the victim, a white male subject came out and advised they had one minute to clear off the property or he would start shooting, at which time the female victim was evacuated by Trotwood Fire and Rescue and the male subject began randomly shooting inside the house.”

Numerous agencies including multiple SWAT groups and the Dayton Bomb Squad responded after Trotwood officers dropped a “99” signal for additional assistance.

“I’ve never seen so many police cars in all my life, especially on one scene,” said Ray Sexton, who lives in the area. Dozens of emergency vehicles from all over Montgomery County responded.

“They felt as though they received fire in their direction,” Wilson said, adding that multiple rifles and handguns were located inside the residence at 4645 Wolf Creek Pike. “There was multiple rounds fired outside of the residence (through a window).”

The suspect fired approximately 11 times, according to emergency scanner traffic.

Negotiations began with the suspect and ultimately he was talked out of the property and taken into custody without incident, Wilson said.

The man — not named by police but identified by family members on scene as William D. Gibson, 42 — was taken to be booked into jail for felony inducing panic. Wilson said “a host of” other charges would be presented to the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office.

Gibson was booked into the Montgomery County Jail at 3:32 p.m. Friday, according to online jail records. Gibson has previous felony convictions, including weapons charges, according to court records.

A male voice was heard during the 2:10 call to 911.

“My wife accidentally shot herself in the leg just now and it’s bleeding bad,” the man told a dispatcher. “I don’t know what to do.”

Family members on scene including people who identified themselves as the suspect’s step-daughter, mother, brother-in-law and others turned to media to beg their relative to give himself up peacefully.

“Just come out, please,” said Alica Vanderpool, who identified herself as Gibson’s step-daughter. “What are you doing?”

Wilson said family members were cooperative and communication with the suspect was key in a fluid situation in which he thanked assisting agencies.

“As long as he kept talking, we would talk with him,” Wilson said. “The decision was made to try to negotiate him out versus taking the home by force. I think it was the appropriate choice.”

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