Shooter’s friend who bought body armor will remain in jail

Associated Press

DAYTON

A longtime friend of the Dayton shooter’s who authorities say bought him body armor and helped assemble the weapon used in the massacre will remain in jail on a charge unrelated to the shooting.

Authorities said there’s no indication Ethan Kollie knew his friend was planning a mass shooting, but they did accuse him of lying on a federal firearms form while buying a pistol not used in the shooting.

A U.S. magistrate judge Wednesday continued a detention hearing for Kollie until Thursday after all sides could not agree on conditions for his release.

The decision came after a federal prosecutor had agreed to a recommendation for house arrest with electronic monitoring and a number of other conditions, but the magistrate balked.

“The allegations in the criminal complaint are very, very serious,” said Magistrate Judge Michael J. Newman, who also voiced concerns about drug use and a possible mental health issue he wouldn’t elaborate on.

Defense attorney Nick Gounaris said the charges Kollie was arrested on “involved a firearm not used in any violent offenses.”

Prosecutors said Kollie, of Kettering, first spoke with investigators just hours after Connor Betts opened fire in a popular entertainment district, killing his sister and eight others Aug. 4.

It’s not known whether Betts targeted his sister, Megan, in the shooting that left 17 wounded by gunfire.

Their parents will have private memorial services, according to obituaries posted by a funeral home in their hometown of Bellbrook.

Kollie told investigators he helped Betts assemble the AR-15-style weapon about 10 weeks ago, federal agents said in a court document.

He also told them he bought the body armor, a 100-round magazine and a key part of the gun used in the attack and kept them at his apartment so Betts’ parents would not find it, according to the court filing.

Prosecutors charged Kollie with lying about not using marijuana on federal firearms forms in the purchase of a pistol that federal agents found in his apartment.

Federal authorities had filed a motion to keep him held without bond, saying he was a flight risk and a risk to the community.