Federal charges filed against friend of Oregon District shooter
The United States Attorney of the Southern District of Ohio will announce federal charges against a friend of the shooter in the Oregon District mass shooting Monday.
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) – The United States Attorney of the Southern District of Ohio announced federal charges on Monday against Ethan Kollie, a friend of the shooter in the Oregon District mass shooting.
According to federal court documents, Ethan Kollie was charged in the Southern District of Ohio with possession of a firearm by an unlawful user/addict of a controlled substance, as well as making a false statement regarding firearms.
“Mr. Kollie does not stand accused in taking part in planning the shooting,” U.S. District Attorney Ben Glassman said. “There’s no allegation of that. That’s not what this case is about. What this case is about is anyone who is discovered to have criminal culpability, it’s not something federal agents who are investigating (other cases) will ignore.”
The affidavit filed in federal court claimed Kollie, who owns a handgun and a pistol, indicated to authorities that he purchased body armor, an upper receiver of an AR-15 weapon, and the 100-round double drum magazine for Conner Betts “earlier this year” which Betts used in the Oregon District mass shooting.
A search of Kollie’s residence discovered a marijuana plant and a bong. Agents also found the pistol on a counter after Kollie said the handgun was in his bedroom.
The FBI again interviewed Kollie on Aug. 8 at his place of work, according to the affidavit. He disclosed to agents that he was concealed carry and had a permit to do so. Kollie also admitted that he and Betts had done “hard drugs,” marijuana, and acid “four to five times a week from 2014 to 2015.” Agents asked Kollie how often he had done drugs in the past year and a half to which he responded that he had smoked marijuana every day since he was 14.
Forms obtained by the FBI show when Kollie purchased the Draco pistol, he checked the “no” box when asked whether he was an “unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance?”
When Kollie’s residence was searched again on Aug. 8, he admitted to being a regular user of marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms, both of which he grew in his residence. Kollie then admitted to lying on the firearm form, saying he knew if he checked “yes,” he would not be able to purchase the firearm.
Kollie also acknowledged, according to the court documents, that he purchased the body armor, upper receiver of the AR-15 weapon, and the 100-round double drum magazine for Betts, which he stored in Kollie’s residence to hide from Betts’ parents. Kollie said he watched and helped Betts assemble the AR-15 that was used in the shooting. Betts then took possession of the weapon, drum magazine, and body armor approximately six to eight weeks ago.
“I can’t speak exactly to what (Kollie) thought (Betts) would use the firearm for, but we can’t find any information he knew that (Betts) was going to conduct this attack.