Grand jury clears officer for Jan. 18th shooting

Medford, Ore. — A Grand Jury cleared a Medford Police Officer in an officer-involved shooting that killed a shoplifting suspect last month.

Back on January 18th, police say 27-year-old Timothy Caruthers was shoplifting from the Sportsman’s Warehouse near Crater Lake Highway, when he slashed at store staff with a knife and escaped.

An off-duty police officer, who happened to be at the store at the time, chased Caruthers to the Crater Car Wash across Highway 62. Police say Caruthers was told to drop his weapon, but started swinging at the officer. The suspect was then shot twice, and pronounced dead on scene.

Police say Caruthers was a convicted sex offender who was out on parole and wanted for a parole violation.

During a press conference on Wednesday, District Attorney Beth Heckert said Caruthers was found with stolen merchandise from Sportsman’s Warehouse after the fatal shooting.

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