Taylor Cotton Obituary, Death – The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office has identified the man who was shot and killed by Dayton Police on Saturday as 26-year-old Taylor Cotton. Cotton died at approximately 9:37 a.m. on October 19 at Miami Valley Hospital following an encounter with police earlier that morning.
Dayton Police responded to a call on Rosedale Drive around 8:30 a.m. regarding a mental health situation involving Cotton. According to police reports, officers attempted to communicate with him, knowing from previous interactions that he had mental health issues. However, during the encounter, Cotton pointed a gun at the officers, prompting them to shoot him. Police later revealed that the firearm Cotton was holding was not loaded.
This was not the first time that Dayton Police had interacted with Cotton. Officers had previously taken him to the hospital multiple times for mental health evaluations. Dayton Police Major Paul Saunders emphasized that Cotton’s situation was more of a mental health crisis than a criminal matter. “This is less of a criminal issue and more of a mental health issue, we treated it as such,” Saunders said.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is currently conducting an independent investigation into the shooting, as is customary when law enforcement officers are involved in a fatal shooting. The investigation aims to provide a clear understanding of the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The tragic incident has drawn attention to the challenges faced by individuals with mental health issues and the complexities involved in police responses to such situations. Cotton’s death underscores the need for continued discussions about how to best handle mental health crises and the role of law enforcement in these scenarios. The investigation will likely address whether any protocols or procedures could be improved to prevent similar tragedies in the future.