Man shot by trooper was fugitive from earlier shooting - News - MailTribune.com - Medford, OR

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Man shot by trooper was fugitive from earlier shooting Jacy Kevin McManus Wednesday Apr 26, 2017 at 4:19 PM Apr 26, 2017 at 4:19 PM By Jeff Duewel Grants Pass Daily Courier WOLF CREEK — A spokesman for Oregon State Police confirmed Wednesday that state troopers tried to subdue a wanted fugitive with a stun gun before Monday night's deadly shooting. The dead man was identified Tuesday as 35-year-old Jacy Kevin McManus of Wolf Creek, a convicted felon who was wanted in connection with a shooting in the Wolf Creek area April 7. Josephine County District Attorney Ryan Mulkins made the information public after talking to investigators earlier in the day. Two state troopers are on administrative leave, per standard policy, said Sgt. Jeff Proulx, an OSP spokesman. Their names have not yet been released. "It's not that they've done something wrong, it's just something we do to give them time to go through the investigation," Proulx said Wednesday. "They have to do interviews, there's a grand jury. It's not a disciplinary administrative leave." The investigation and grand jury could take several weeks, and it's up to Mulkins, the district attorney, to decide "if and when he releases names" of the troopers, Proulx said. In Monday's incident, two troopers from OSP's Grants Pass Area Command went to the Wolf Creek General Store, a 24-hour gas station and store, to locate McManus. Someone had called in saying a man matching McManus' description was there, Proulx said. McManus resisted arrest, and a Taser was used on him, with no effect, according to Proulx. In the ensuing struggle with one of the troopers, McManus was shot and killed. Neither trooper was injured. Proulx said OSP has video cameras only in patrol vehicles, but there may be audiotape. An employee of the store told the Daily Courier the store has a surveillance camera and that OSP is investigating any potential footage. Court records show McManus' address as 7818 Lower Wolf Creek Road. Troopers had been looking for several weeks for McManus, who was accused of shooting 55-year-old Conal Moran on Lower Wolf Creek Road April 7. Moran remains hospitalized, according to OSP. Last week an OSP SWAT team served a warrant in Wolf Creek where McManus was believed to be hiding, but did not locate him. Court records show McManus had been convicted of five felonies in the past decade in Douglas County, including assault twice, as well as meth possession, criminal mischief, and felon in possession of a restricted weapon. He was sentenced to 46 months in prison in 2006 and 15 months in 2012. The most recent conviction was September 2016, felon in possession of a restricted weapon. Monday's shooting was the second fatal shooting in the past six days in Josephine County and the third in the area, counting a fatal shooting in Wimer, in Jackson County, early Sunday morning. It's also the fifth officer-involved fatal shooting in Josephine County since 2014. The first four — two involving Grants Pass police and two involving OSP — were ruled justified following investigations. — Reach reporter Jeff Duewel at 541-474-3720 or [email protected]