DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — Michael Turner’s son, 30-year-old Logan Turner, was one of the nine people killed in the 2019 Oregon District mass shooting.
Michael Turner said his son was out with some friends celebrating his birthday that night.
“I said go ahead, and Molly even tried to convince him to stay home and it didn’t work. And you know the rest,” Michael Turner said.
Michael Turner remembers his son as a rambunctious kid who played sports and was great at everything.
“He was a great kid. He was honest. He had goals, which he was meeting them all,” Michael Turner said.
The pain is still fresh for the Turners who might never be able to find closure.
“Can I blame people? Can I blame Bellbrook High School? Can I blame his parents? Could I blame the 72-hour rule police have on holding somebody as mentally ill? There’s a lot of things that come into play here. This man shouldn’t have been walking on the street. That’s all there is to it. That’s what I’m mad at,” Michael Turner said.
Dion Green survived the shooting, but he lost his father, Derrick Fudge, that night.
“I’m sitting here having to speak on the third anniversary. I shouldn’t be here. None of these families should be here…across the country, but still happening at an alarming rate,” Green said.
Green has now dedicated his life to advocating for tougher gun laws and a greater emphasis on mental health. The memory of his dad pushes him forward every day.
“Even though I do it for myself, I do it for the families and the community. We need each other, we got to heal as a community,” Green said.
Nan Whaley was the mayor of Dayton at the time of the shooting. She said she is always inspired by the strength of the Dayton community.
“Dayton has been so resilient and so strong. It is a community that has been through a lot, particularly in the past five years,” Whaley said.
While the loved ones of the victims of this tragedy will never be the same, they find comfort in the memories they have with them.
“His path was made. He knew where he was going from there on…and something like this happened and it just rocks your world,” Turner said.
