ROSS COUNTY, Ohio — New witness statements are raising questions about the fatal deputy-involved shooting of 39-year-old Danny Long in Ross County. While the sheriff’s office stated that Long had brandished a firearm before being shot, two eyewitnesses are now contradicting that claim, saying they never saw him display a weapon.
The shooting followed a reported burglary on Pleasant Valley Road just before 5 p.m. Saturday. The Guardian was the first to release the 911 call, in which a woman told dispatchers she returned home from walking her dog to find muddy footprints in her home and her firearm missing from a table. She described the suspect to authorities and stated he was armed.
Deputies responding to the call reportedly spotted a man matching the suspect’s description near state Route 104 and U.S. Route 35. According to the Ross County Sheriff’s Office, when one of the deputies confronted Long, he allegedly brandished a firearm. The deputy then fired, striking Long, who was transported to Adena Regional Medical Center and later pronounced dead.
However, two witnesses who spoke with The Guardian are challenging that narrative.
“We saw the whole thing,” said a local grandmother identified only as Jennifer. “We thought they were going to tase him, but then we heard the shot and saw the gun recoil.” When asked if she saw Long brandish a firearm, Jennifer said, “No. The deputy walked up to him, and when the guy turned to walk away, they shot him. We watched him drop and land on his side.”
A local teenager, who said they drove past the scene just seconds after the shooting, described a chaotic scene with law enforcement performing CPR on Long.
Authorities have not confirmed whether a firearm was recovered from Long at the scene. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) has taken over the case, a standard procedure for officer-involved shootings.
As the investigation unfolds, questions remain about whether Long posed an immediate threat to deputies at the time of the shooting. The Guardian will continue to follow this developing story.