DA identifies officers in vet shooting

Mail Tribune (Medford, OR — Wayback)

2018-11-05

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The Jackson County District Attorney's Office has released the names of the two officers who fired shots in a 90-minute standoff in downtown Eagle Point late Friday in which former soldier Adam Wehinger was killed. Jackson County sheriff's Detective Jim Biddle and Oregon State Police Trooper Tyler Lee have been placed on paid leave pending the results of an investigation of the shooting, said District Attorney Mark Huddleston. Paid leave is a standard practice for officers involved in shooting incidents that result in death or injury, Huddleston said. Both Biddle and Lee shot at Wehinger after he pointed a gun at officers, Huddleston said. It's still unclear which shot killed the 34-year-old man, who had stated that night that he wanted police to kill him, Huddleston said. The officers were scheduled to give statements to detectives Monday, and an autopsy on Wehinger's body also was planned, he said. Detectives searched Wehinger's home in an apartment complex at 139 Royal Ave. on Saturday. Three bullet holes found in an upstairs window screen appear to be from shots Wehinger fired inside his apartment before confronting officers, Huddleston said. However, forensic testing has not yet been conducted on the holes to confirm that, he said. The Medford Police Department is heading an interagency investigation of the incident. All evidence will be presented to a grand jury, Huddleston said. Family members said Wehinger struggled with alcoholism and had post-traumatic stress disorder after returning from the Iraq War, where he served on a mortar crew. The standoff began just before 10 p.m. Friday after Eagle Point police responded to a 9-1-1 report that Wehinger had fired a shot in the apartment complex. Wehinger, who answered the door holding a handgun, refused to speak to officers and went back inside his apartment. Eagle Point police called for back-up, and soon officers from the Jackson County sheriff's SWAT team and Oregon State Police flooded the complex. Officers attempted to reach Wehinger by cell phone to negotiate with him, but he did not answer the phone, Huddleston said. Just after 10:30 p.m., Wehinger fired shots inside the apartment. About a half of an hour later, he opened the front door holding a handgun, stepped onto the front porch and pointed the handgun at officers who were in view, Huddleston said. Biddle and Lee shot at Wehinger, he said. It's unclear how many shots were fired or how many entered Wehinger's body. Friday was not Wehinger's first confrontation with police. In September 2007, Wehinger threatened to kill his ex-wife because she had asked for custody of their children. Eagle Point police reported Wehinger held officers at bay with a .357 pointed at his throat and demanded that police kill him, police said. In that case, however, Wehinger eventually surrendered. Reach reporter Paris Achen at 541-776-4459 or e-mail [email protected].