MEDFORD, Ore.– A young Medford man has been lodged in the Jackson County Jail for his involvement in a shooting investigation.
Jaime Arturo Fletes, 19, was arrested by Medford police outside of a home on Kenyon Street near Central Medford High School early Friday evening.
According to the Medford Police Department, earlier that evening police received reports of gunshots in the 600 block of South Holly Street. Witnesses reported seeing a silver Volkswagen Jetta with a black hood that fled the scene south on Kenyon Street. As police searched the area, they found a spent handgun casing in the alley but no victim or damage to the surrounding area.
Officers continued to the search and located the suspect vehicle with three people in it parked at the 900 block of Kenyon Street. Medford Police says when officers made contact, the occupant later identified as Fletes fled from the car and ran into a nearby house.
Police set up a perimeter around the home and after about an hour, Fletes came outside and turned himself in without any incident.
A search warrant was ordered for both the car and the home Fletes was in. Police searched both and found a handgun in the car with the same caliber as the spent handgun casing located in the alley. In the house, the factory box for the handgun was located along with additional evidence.
After further investigation, police learned Fletes was a passenger in the car and had fired the gun while driving through the alley. Police say they don’t have any reason at this time to suspect Fletes was intentionally targeting something or someone. The gun Fletes used belonged to a family member whom he lived with. Fletes did not have permission to possess the gun and had taken it without their knowledge.
Police later released the two other people in the car.
Fletes is being charged with theft in the first degree, unlawful possession of a firearm, menacing, and reckless endangering.
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