Casepin
Back to cases

Solved case

2011 Copley Township shooting

On August 7, 2011, Michael E. Hance shot and killed seven people in Copley Township, Ohio, before being shot and killed by a police officer.

SOLVED2011

Copley Township, Ohio, United States

3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

On August 7, 2011, a mass shooting occurred in Copley Township, Ohio, carried out by 51-year-old Michael E. Hance. Seven people were killed before Hance was shot and killed by Copley police officer Ben Campbell. Hance had reportedly displayed erratic and bizarre behavior in the period before the attack and was considered by acquaintances to be delusional, though he had no formal mental health diagnosis or treatment history beyond herbal remedies.

Using two handguns — a Hi-Point Model JHP .45-caliber pistol and a Smith & Wesson Model 586 .357 Magnum revolver, both purchased from the same Barberton, Ohio store five days earlier — Hance opened fire at a house on Goodenough Avenue. His first victim was his girlfriend, Rebecca K. Dieter, who survived after being shot twice; she called 9-1-1 and later pretended to be dead. Hance then entered an adjacent house and killed Dieter's brother Craig, 16-year-old Autumn Johnson, her grandparents Russell and Gudrun Johnson, and 16-year-old Amelia Shambaugh, who had been seated in a parked car nearby. He chased and killed Autumn's father, Bryan Johnson, in a nearby driveway, then pursued 11-year-old Scott into another house, where Scott was hiding in the basement with residents Melonie Bagley and her three children. Hance found and killed Scott but left the Bagley family unharmed.

As Hance left the scene, Officer Ben Campbell and former Copley Township officer Keith Lavery confronted him and ordered him to drop his weapon. Hance instead raised his gun and fired at them; both men returned fire, and rounds from Campbell's rifle killed Hance.

In the lead-up to the shooting, Hance had been under strain, including caring for Dieter's father, who had dementia, and losing his job. He had tense relations with his neighbors, the Johnsons. He also sought repayment of a previously forgiven debt, using the funds to buy the firearms and ammunition used in the attack, and visited a gun range multiple times beforehand. Police Chief Michael Mier suggested Hance may have been planning a shooting elsewhere, with the Johnsons possibly being incidental victims.

Officer Ben Campbell was later honored with the Top Cops award, presented by President Barack Obama in May 2012, and received the Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery in March 2013. A memorial was held on the shooting's first anniversary. In 2019, the surviving victim, Rebecca Dieter, publicly stated support for red flag laws while maintaining support for Second Amendment rights, and expressed the belief that Hance had suffered from a delusional disorder. The case was later referenced by commentators on both sides of the gun control debate, including gun rights writer Massad Ayoob and gun control advocate Tom Diaz.

Key facts

Victims
Gudrun Johnson, Rebecca K. Dieter, Bryan Johnson, Autumn Johnson, Amelia Shambaugh, Craig Dieter, Scott Dieter, Russell Johnson
Date
2011
Location
Copley Township, Ohio, United States
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 1997

    Hance contacted police about a man threatening him with a gun after confronting him over truck vandalism.

  2. 1978

    Hance graduated from Norton High School.

  3. 2005

    Hance purchased a Smith & Wesson Model 586 .357 Magnum revolver from a Barberton, Ohio store, later used in the shooting.

  4. 2011-08-02

    Hance purchased firearms, a holster, and roughly 200 rounds of ammunition from Sydmor's Jewelry in Barberton, Ohio, five days before the shooting.

  5. 2011-08-06

    Hance visited family with his girlfriend the day before the shooting; relatives noted he appeared agitated.

  6. 2011-08-07

    Michael E. Hance shot and killed seven people in Copley Township, Ohio, before being shot and killed by police officer Ben Campbell.

  7. 2012-05

    Officer Ben Campbell was presented the Top Cops award by President Barack Obama.

  8. 2012-08

    A memorial was held in Copley Township on the first anniversary of the shooting.

  9. 2013-03

    Ben Campbell received the Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery for his actions during the shooting.

  10. 2019-08

    Surviving victim Rebecca Dieter publicly commented on gun policy in the aftermath of the 2019 El Paso and Dayton shootings.

Best coverage

No coverage has been attached to this file yet.

Know good coverage? Submit it

People

  • Gudrun Johnson

    VICTIM

    64-year-old, Autumn Johnson's grandmother and Hance's neighbor, killed in the shooting.

  • Rebecca K. Dieter

    VICTIM

    Hance's girlfriend; shot twice but survived, the only survivor among those shot.

  • Bryan Johnson

    VICTIM

    44-year-old, Autumn Johnson's father, chased and killed by Hance in a nearby driveway.

  • Michael E. Hance

    CONVICTED

    Perpetrator; shot and killed by police at the scene, so never formally tried, but identified by authorities as the gunman responsible for seven killings.

  • Keith Lavery

    LAW ENFORCEMENT

    Former Copley Township police officer who, alongside Ben Campbell, confronted and fired at Hance.

  • Autumn Johnson

    VICTIM

    16-year-old killed in the shooting.

  • Amelia Shambaugh

    VICTIM

    16-year-old killed while seated in a parked car near the scene.

  • Ben Campbell

    LAW ENFORCEMENT

    Copley police officer who fatally shot Hance; later received the Top Cops award and the Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery.

  • Craig Dieter

    VICTIM

    Rebecca Dieter's brother; killed in the shooting.

  • Scott Dieter

    VICTIM

    11-year-old, Craig Dieter's son, killed after being found hiding in a basement.

  • Russell Johnson

    VICTIM

    67-year-old, Autumn Johnson's grandfather and Hance's neighbor, killed in the shooting.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Places

Copley Township, Ohio, United States

41.0900, -81.6053

View on the map

Common questions

What happened to the victim?
On August 7, 2011, Michael E. Hance shot and killed seven people in Copley Township, Ohio, before being shot and killed by a police officer.
Where did the shooting happen?
Copley Township, Ohio, United States.
Who was convicted?
Michael E. Hance (Perpetrator; shot and killed by police at the scene, so never formally tried, but identified by authorities as the gunman responsible for seven killings.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved.
More cases in Ohio

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDIC2011 Copley Township shootingWikipedia · 2026-07-07
  2. PRESSOhio rampage suspect bought gun from pawn shopCBS News · 2026-07-07
  3. PRESSOhio shootings: Seven dead in Copley Township, OhioBBC News · 2026-07-07

Record history

First published
JUL 07, 2026

When a file you follow changes — a new development, a correction, fresh coverage — the Dispatch is how you hear about it.

The Casepin Dispatch

A calm weekly briefing from the archive — one case worth understanding, meaningful updates to files you follow, and the best new coverage. You’ll also get the one-time note when the apps land. No gore, no rumor, no drip.