MEDFORD, Ore. – A Medford police officer has been cleared of wrongdoing in a recent shooting incident.
The Jackson County District Attorney’s Office said in the early morning hours of April 2, 9-1-1 dispatchers were told that a 24-year-old man was threatening to shoot himself and take his own life.
Eventually, Medford police found the man in an SUV at the intersection of Archer and Martin Drive in Medford.
He reportedly got out of the vehicle and held a gun to his head. Prosecutors said officers tried talking to him to diffuse the situation, but the man lowered the gun, pointed it at his own chest, and fired a single shot.
According to investigators, an MPD officer who was watching the situation unfold from a different vantage point thought the man was trying to shoot the other officers, so he returned fire, shooting three times at the man with the gun. All shots missed.
The man was taken to a hospital and eventually released. However, he is facing numerous criminal charges in connection with the incident.
On April 13, a Jackson County grand jury concluded the officer who fired the shots was acting within the scope of his duty and has been cleared of any wrongdoing.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, help is available. You can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK – That’s 1-800-273-8255. You can also text 741-741 any time to be connected to a crisis counselor.
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