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FBI: Friend of Dayton Shooter Purchased Weapons, Accessories Used in Oregon District Attack

U.S. Attorney Benjamin Glassman speaks to press at the U.S. Courthouse in Dayton on August 12, 2019.
April Laissle
/
WYSO
U.S. Attorney Benjamin Glassman speaks to press at the U.S. Courthouse in Dayton on August 12, 2019.

A friend of the gunman who killed nine people outside an Oregon District bar Sunday Aug. 4 now faces federal charges that could send him to prison for up to 15 years.

Authorities have charged 24-year-old Ethan Kollie with illegally owning firearms, and lying about his drug use on a federal form in order to acquire them.

Kollie allegedly told FBI agents he regularly smokes marijuana and used “hard drugs” with shooter Connor Betts in 2014 and 2015.

FBI officials also allege Kollie provided body armor, rifle accessories and a high-capacity magazine to Betts and helped him assemble an AR-15 like weapon about two months prior to the mass shooting.

All items were used in the attack, officials say in court documents.

United States Attorney Benjamin Glassman says that in itself isn’t a crime.

“There was not an indication that Betts would himself have been any more or less disqualified from buying any of these things than Kollie," he told reporters at an afternoon press briefing.

According to an affidavit, Kollie stored the items later used in the Oregon District massacre at his home in order to hide them from the gunman’s parents.

Glassman says Kollie isn’t accused of participating in planning the shooting.

Copyright 2019 WYSO

April Laissle is a graduate of Ohio University and comes to WYSO from WOUB Public Media in Athens, Ohio where she worked as a weekend host and reporter. There, she reported on everything from food insecurity to 4-H chicken competitions. April interned at KQED Public Radio in San Francisco, where she focused on health reporting. She also worked on The Broad Experience, a New-York based podcast about women and workplace issues. In her spare time, April loves traveling, trying new recipes and binge-listening to podcasts. April is a Florida native and has been adjusting to Ohio weather since 2011.