John R. Smelko, a 40-year-old man from Dayton, Ohio, was shot and killed at his Huffman Avenue home on November 16, 2014. Officers had responded late that night to a disconnected 911 call. When they arrived they saw a hand holding a gun through a partially opened door. After repeated orders to show his hands, Smelko produced a firearm and pointed it at an officer, who then fired one shot that fatally wounded him.

A Montgomery County grand jury declined to indict Officer Raymond Dine, finding the officer’s actions justified. The police chief said Smelko’s death could have been avoided if he had followed officers’ instructions. Smelko had no felony record in Montgomery County; he had misdemeanor assault charges in Dayton Municipal Court in 2005 and 2013 that were later withdrawn.

The shooting prompted discussion locally about police use of force and community safety. Did anyone in Dayton know Smelko or witness the events that night and have information to add?