HAMILTON, Ohio — A week after Hamilton police responded to a report of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Peregrin Avenue, the victim's father is calling for increased transparency from investigators.
Dan Lovins said Hamilton police called him to the department to pick up his 5-month-old grandson after the shooting, and then he had to race to a Dayton area hospital to find his daughter, Danielle, suffering from a gunshot wound to the head.
"They said she wasn't going to survive this. We are keeping her alive right now," Lovins said. "I walked inside the room, I leaned over, I kissed her on the forehead, told her I loved her, and she died right there. Like, immediately."
Lovins said he hasn't had much time to grieve as he said he turned to care for his grandchild and his other kids.
Still, the loss of his daughter hasn't left his mind.
"It is somewhere between the line of anger and sadness that I could never imagine that you could be calm," he said. "I'm passionate about this because I loved her."
Hamilton police records listed "attempted suicide" on the victim report, and an officer noted that a 911 caller reported a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Lovins rejected the idea outright.
"There is no suicide here," he said. "This is not a suicide. My daughter would not have done this."
Lovins said his daughter was making plans to go to school and was focused on raising her son.
A preliminary Montgomery County coroner's report said the cause and manner of death had not been determined, and a representative with the office said it could be another seven weeks before a full autopsy report was available for release.
Hamilton Police said Friday their detectives were still investigating Danielle's death.
A vigil has been scheduled at Dan's house on Sycamore Avenue Sunday.
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