SHADY COVE, Ore. – The Jackson County District Attorney says a homeowner was justified in fatally shooting a suspect who broke into his home on November 21.
According to the District Attorney’s office, Gordon Wilson, 51, broke into a Shady Cove home just after 2 a.m. that day. The homeowner said he heard glass breaking, saw the glass by the front door was shattered, and grabbed a handgun before going to see what was happening.
The homeowner saw Wilson inside the kitchen. The homeowner said Wilson charged toward him after taunting the homeowner to pull the trigger. The homeowner then fired multiple times until Wilson stopped moving toward him.
When police got to the home and provided medical help to Wilson, police say he had no weapon.
The DA says four other adults were in the home at the time of the incident, including the homeowner’s girlfriend who had an active stalking order against Wilson, which forbid any contact between the two. Wilson became convinced the woman was in danger and falsely reported that someone was screaming in the home once and that someone was injured in the home another time. The DA says Wilson had also trespassed into the homeowner’s backyard, which ultimately led to the stalking order.
An autopsy revealed Wilson was shot eight times. A drug screen came back positive for methamphetamine and amphetamine at the time of his death.
Police say surveillance video showed Wilson continuing to watch the home and try to report to a motorcycle organization that the woman was in danger. The DA says it is clear Wilson had a history of mental illness and was suffering from a delusion.
The DA says under Oregon law, a person can use deadly force if the other person is actively burglarizing a property or about to use deadly physical force against another person. It says in this case, the homeowner was justified.
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