Klamath Falls, Ore. – A Klamath Falls woman says she wants to thank the officers that saved her child during an exchange of gunfire Friday.
Ria Edenfield says the situation began Friday afternoon when her ex-husband took her 6 year old son from her babysitter.
“He was just upset because his girlfriend at the time told him he could not take my son while he was drinking.” Explains Edenfield. “And that made him upset.”
Investigators say Matt Goff was armed with an AK-47 when he led police on a high-speed pursuit, while the child sat in the back.
The chase ended north of Klamath Falls on Wocus Road.
“They put out spike strips.” Edenfield notes. “He got out of the car, and what I’m told, is he shot at them first.”
Details haven’t been released, but Edenfield says police took extra steps to save her child. “There was one officer, that while distracting Matt, another officer went around and got my son out of the back seat.”
Oregon State Trooper Kameron Gordon was injured in the exchange of gunfire.
Goff was shot, and died at the scene.
Edenfield says she’s grateful for the officer’s actions. “I’d really like to thank him – because so many things could have gone wrong, and he went and put himself in harms way, and went and got my son out – so I’d really like to thank him.”
Edenfield says she’s saddened by the loss of her former husband. “I know he’s just in peace. He’s finally at peace, because he had been struggling for a long time.”
Edenfield’s son was initially placed in state protective care.
He is now at home with his mother.
State Trooper Kameron Gordon was treated and released, and is recovering at home with his family.
The other officers involved have not been named, and are now on administrative leave.
That is standard protocol in officer involved shootings.
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