Update (01/22/19 2:20 p.m.) – Klamath County deputies who were involved in a fatal shooting have been cleared of wrong-doing.
The Klamath County District Attorney’s Office said Deputy Leach and Deputy McAdams were justified in the shooting of Mark Farrell.
According to prosecutors, Farrell suffered from “numerous mental health challenges” and he had stopped taking his medicine for “some time.”
“The tragedy of untreated mental health issues creates significant collateral damage,” the D.A.’s office wrote. “Klamath County District Attorney’s Office extends its sympathy to the Farrell family and to the involved deputies. The deputies came to serve and protect. Sadly they ended up needing to utilize deadly force in order to protect themselves.”
Original Story: BEATTY, Ore. – Two Klamath County Sheriff’s Deputies are on leave after the shooting and killing of a Beatty man Saturday.
Police were called to a report of a domestic assault at a home northeast of Beatty just before 4:00 Saturday morning.
Klamath County District Attorney Eve Costello says that after nearly four hours of negotiations with a mental health counselor, suspect Mark Farrell approached deputies with a weapon.
“The individual, Mark Farrell, was very uncooperative with the investigation, and volatile,” Costello said. “And eventually, unfortunately, the officer was forced to use force.”
The deputies were placed on leave following the shooting.
“They will be interviewed later on,” D.A Costello stated. “Once the investigation is concluded, in all likelihood, we will run it through a grand jury.”
The Oregon State Police are in charge of the investigation.
The D.A said she believes the actions of the deputies were appropriate. “They did what was required according to protocol. It’s my understanding that it was a pretty frightening experience.”
The Klamath County Major Crime Team was activated Saturday immediately following the officer-involved shooting.
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