Kisha Arrone, a 35-year-old African American woman from Dayton, Ohio, tragically died on April 17, 2016. She was involved in a violent altercation with her domestic partner, during which she held a gun to her partner's head and threatened to kill her. The situation escalated, and Arrone fired the gun during the struggle. She then fled in a pickup truck, and police pursued her.
Officers used spike strips to deflate the tires of her truck, and Arrone eventually stopped in front of the 3100 block of Wexford Place.
When Arrone got out of the truck, she still had the gun in her hand and refused to drop it. Police ordered her to drop the weapon, but she fired the gun into the air while walking towards her domestic partner and a group of people. In an effort to protect the bystanders, three Dayton police officers fired their weapons and fatally shot Arrone. The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office confirmed that Arrone died from multiple gunshot wounds.
Following the incident, the Dayton Police Homicide Unit and the Professional Standards Bureau conducted an independent investigation. Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl stated that the officers involved were placed on administrative leave pending the review of the incident. A Montgomery County grand jury later declined to indict the officers, concluding that they acted in self-defense and in defense of others.
The NAACP announced that it would conduct its own investigation into the shooting to ensure that the police followed proper guidelines. Arrone's cousin, Monique Spears, expressed her belief that the police could have apprehended Arrone peacefully and criticized the use of lethal force.
The tragic death of Kisha Arrone sparked discussions about police use of force and the need for de-escalation techniques in such situations. The incident remains a poignant reminder of the complexities and challenges faced by law enforcement and the communities they serve.
