Parents of Dayton Shooter Apologize for ‘Insensitive’ Obituary

The parents of the Ohio man who gunned down nine people in downtown Dayton this month before being shot dead by police issued an apology Wednesday for an “insensitive” obituary that made no mention of the shooting. The original obituary—which described 24-year-old Connor Betts as “a funny, articulate, and intelligent man with striking blue eyes and a kind smile” who was a Boy Scout and an avid reader—was replaced by a statement from his parents on the funeral home’s website. “Stephen and Moira Betts apologize that the wording of the obituary for their son Connor was insensitive in not acknowledging the terrible tragedy that he created. In their grief, they presented the son that they knew, which in no way reduces the horror of his last act. We are deeply sorry,” the statement read. Betts was killed by police officers after opening fire on a Dayton nightclub on Aug. 4. An obituary for his sister, Megan Betts, who was also slain in his attack, mentioned family members but omitted her brother.