On April 21, 2018, 29-year-old Darion Harris, a male of African American ethnicity, was fatally shot outside Rick's Jazz Lab in Dayton, Ohio. Harris was pronounced dead at the scene, while his companion, 28-year-old Ashley James, succumbed to her injuries at Miami Valley Hospital later that day. The couple had just welcomed a newborn baby boy two months prior.
The investigation led to the arrest of 26-year-old James Davison from Miamisburg, Ohio.
Surveillance footage from the nightclub captured Davison driving his SUV through the parking lot and stopping next to the pickup truck carrying Harris and James. Davison then fired between 17 and 21 rounds from a .40 caliber handgun into the truck, killing both Harris and James. Two other occupants in the back seat of the truck were uninjured.
Davison was taken into custody on May 23, 2018, and was later indicted on multiple charges, including aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault, and tampering with evidence. On October 15, 2019, he was sentenced to 48 years to life in prison. In May 2021, an appeal added three years to his sentence, resentencing him to 51 years to life.
The tragic incident left behind Harris's three daughters and newborn son, and the community mourned the loss of both victims. The case highlighted the ongoing issue of gun violence and the devastating impact it has on families and communities.
