Wednesday, December 29, 1999
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Man kills himself in Dayton Mall store
DAYTON, Ohio — A man walked into a Dayton Mall department store, pointed a handgun at shoppers and then used a second handgun to kill himself with a shot to the head, police said.
He was Gregory W. Mack, 36, whose last known address was suburban Kettering, said Miami Township police Sgt. John DiPietro.
Mr. Mack made a purchase at one of the mall stores and then walked into the juniors department of Lazarus about 8:30 p.m. Monday, Sgt. DiPietro said.
“He pulled the gun out, aimed it at two female shoppers. According to witnesses, he did pull the trigger. The gun did not fire,” Sgt. DiPietro said. “Then he used the other gun to kill himself.”
Authorities on Tuesday were trying to determine Mr. Mack's motive and why the first gun didn't fire, he said.
Police said there were five or six shoppers around the man when the shooting occurred.
“They all scattered,” said Mr. DiPietro.
Lazarus opened Tuesday. Store officials had no comment, said a woman who answered the phone at the store.
Arrest is made in theft of ATM machine
Cincinnati police have arrested one man and identified two others accused of hauling away an automated teller machine in a Westwood robbery.
Jonathan Palmer III, 24, was released on a $25,000 bond Saturday. He was arrested Thursdayafter police said they pulled him over for speeding in a school zone. A background check by the officer revealed two open warrants — for robbery and conspiracy — stemming from the Dec. 13 theft.
Mr. Palmer is scheduled to return to court Thursday.
Two other men are wanted on the same charges in the ATM theft: Michael L. Solomon, 24, of the 3700 block of Westmont Drive, and Kevin Lamar Hoskins, 24, of the 1000 block of Ebony Lane.
Mr. Hoskins has past convictions for robbery and resisting arrest. Mr. Solomon has one adult conviction, on a misdemeanor drug charge.
The men are accused of entering the Dairy Mart in the 2600 block of Putz Place at about 3:35 a.m. and spraying the clerk with a chemical irritant, police said.
The men then carried out the automated teller machine, put it in a white van parked outside and fled, police said.
Legislators seek same-sex marriage ban
COLUMBUS — Lawmakers in the Ohio House and Senate will introduce bills early next year to ban same-sex marriages in Ohio.
State Sen. Jay Hottinger, R-Newark, and state Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Urbana, said they are gathering co-sponsors for the legislation.
Mr. Hottinger introduced a similar bill in 1997, but it died from lack of support in the House Civil and Commercial Law Committee.
In announcing the new legislation, both lawmakers referred to the Dec. 20 ruling by the Vermont Supreme Court that gay and lesbian couples in Vermont should enjoy all benefits and privileges afforded to heterosexual couples who can legally marry.
It is the first court in the country to make such a sweeping ruling on the question.
NOW cleared again in defamation case
The Cincinnati chapter of the National Organization for Women won a court decision in the Ohio First District Court of Appeals last week, upholding a 1998 ruling that cleared the organization of defamation.
The original suit stemmed from a 1996 article in the Cincinnati Post, in which a representative of NOW made a statement about a woman who alleged she was beaten by her ex-husband in front of her child.
In a unanimous decision, the appeals court determined that NOW's remarks were protected by freedom of speech.
The three-judge panel further declared NOW's statement was made in good faith with no reckless disregard for the truth. The statement was part of an effort to advocate for abused women and children, the court ruled.
17-year-old running for Ohio House seat
MINSTER, Ohio — Derrick Seaver admits that his age could play a role in whether he wins a seat in the Ohio House.
But the 17-year-old said he isn't that worried.
“I think that initially it'll be a bigger issue than after a while,” he said. “Inevitably, it'll affect some people's decisions. I know my opponents will talk about what they've done in the past and what I haven't, but I feel this is about the future.”
Last week, he became the first Democrat to file for the March 7 primary in his west-central Ohio district, which covers Shelby and Champaign counties and western Auglaize County.
The senior at Minster High School will turn 18 — the legal voting age — on Feb. 6.
Republicans John Adams of Sidney and Richard Herron and David Shiffer, both of Cable in Champaign County, also are vying for the 85th District seat. Urbana Republican James Jordan is leaving the seat to run for Ohio Senate.
Four from Cincinnati shot to death in Georgia
Newport prepares to let New Year ring
How to prepare for Y2K
Murder charge filed in teacher's death
Slain clerk's family tries to deal with loss
Aberdeen responds to fire survivor
Deaf teacher marks milestone
Driver who backed into stroller guilty of felony DUI
Voinovich aides are cleared
Waynesville mayor cleared of charges
Man charged in fire at apartment complex
Portune: Open up on police reviews
Portune: Transfer funds to fix roads
Where there's smoke, there's a firehouse cook
Health events in 2000
Queen City's moments to shine reflected in book
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Icons of the '90s
Family escapes as fire destroys home
Federal grants promise help for homeless
Feds plan to sample Paducah soil
Hundreds of inmates in line for payments
Indictment: Drugs put in prison coffee
Job Service opens office at airport
Lebanon council OKs budget
Lottery audit critical of returns
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