Sugarcreek Twp. police said a school official called to report that a sister of a high school guidance counselor received a threat from the suspect, according to court records.
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Heilman allegedly left a voice mail for the woman at approximately 1:30 p.m. Sunday, stating, “You know I lost my roommate in last night’s shooting, so I’m going to attack Bellbrook school system, and make sure your brother is not involved,” according to the records.
Connor Stephen Betts, the 24-year-old who police said opened fire on innocent people in the Oregon District early Sunday morning, was a former Sugarcreek-Bellbrook schools student. He was suspended his senior year after school officials learned of a list Betts had made of girls he wanted to kill.
Betts was fatally shot by police before he was able to enter Ned Peppers bar. In addition to those killed, 37 people either suffered gunshot wounds or injuries during the chaos of the event.
The Dayton Daily News talked to people at Heilman’s apartment building. They said he doesn’t currently have a roommate.
Heilman was arrested at his apartment early Monday morning. He told police he was just joking about the threat, that he and the woman had been arguing and he said those things in the heat of the moment.
Heilman declined the Dayton Daily News’ request for an interview. He was previously jailed in Greene County in 2010 on suspicion of menacing and disorderly conduct; in 2008, he was jailed in Montgomery County on suspicion of public intoxication, according to jail records.
Court records show Sugarcreek Twp. police met Dayton police at Heilman’s apartment and made the arrest around 3:20 a.m. Monday.
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Ronald Schlenk lives near Heilman’s apartment on Kiser Street in Dayton. Schlenk said he saw the arrest happen and was surprised to hear what it was about.
Schlenk said: “I can’t believe what’s going on these days. I mean, what happens down at the Oregon District, it’s a pretty safe area. I used to go down there a lot. When that happened that blew my mind. I’m thinking it’s this younger generation. It seems like it’s going on all over the world now.”
Heilman is being held on $10,000 bond and is due to be arraigned Wednesday in Xenia Municipal Court.
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