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Grand jury clears officer in wounding Medford suspect William Shelton Jr. Photo from Jackson County Jail Wednesday Apr 4, 2018 at 6:36 PM Apr 4, 2018 at 6:36 PM Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune @RyanPfeil A grand jury found a Medford patrol officer was justified in shooting and wounding a man who police said fired several shots from a rifle in a southwest Medford apartment complex and pointed the weapon at officers last week. Officer Tim Pickens fired a single shot that struck William Allen Shelton Jr. in the upper chest during a confrontation outside his home on March 29, according to the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office. Pickens has been with Medford police for 12 years and currently serves with Patrol Team 4. Responding with Pickens during the shooting was Jenny Bridges, a motorcycle officer with the department’s traffic division who was hired by Medford in 2002. Both were placed on administrative leave during the investigation, which is protocol in officer-involved shootings. The incident began when 911 dispatch received a call from a man saying he and another person had been threatened by a man with a gun near 1039 Garfield St., an area that is home to several duplexes with addresses ranging from 1039 to 1061, the D.A.’s Office said in a release. While Medford police responded, the caller told dispatch he heard a gunshot come from the area where he had been threatened. Police tracked the rifle-wielding suspect, later identified as Shelton, to 1057 Garfield St., according to a probable cause affidavit. Officers on scene contacted Shelton, who refused to come outside. “Mr. Shelton was communicating with dispatch and officers that he would protect his children and wife who were still in the residence and complete the mission given him by God,” the D.A.’s release said. At 2:09 p.m., Shelton went out the back door, fired a shot and said, “Warning shot ... bitches,” the release said. Pickens and Bridges were positioned at the rear of the complex. Shelton reportedly saw them and turned toward them with his gun aimed at them. Pickens fired a single round from his rifle and struck Shelton in the upper chest. “Both officers were wearing body cameras, but the visual recording is blocked due to the cover the officers were taking, however, the audio was unaffected,” the release said. Shelton then reportedly retreated back inside the home, still holding the gun, yelling something at the officers as he went through the back door. Another shot was fired inside the residence, the D.A.’s release said. Shelton surrendered at about 2:15 p.m., the affidavit states. He was transported to Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center for treatment. Police lodged him in the Jackson County Jail on April 1. He remains there on $1 million bail, according to jail records. He was arraigned on six counts of attempted first-degree assault and three counts of unlawful use of a weapon, court records show. His next court date is scheduled for April 9. The Jackson County Major Assault & Death Investigation Unit investigated the shooting, with Oregon State Police as the lead agency. On Wednesday, the grand jury heard testimony from police who investigated the shooting, officers on scene at the time of the shooting, the officers directly involved, and the original 911 caller. The case was presented by Chief Deputy District Attorney Jeremy Markiewicz. The jury deliberated for about 10 minutes before deciding the officer was fully justified in using force. Details on what prompted the incident were still not available. Reach web editor Ryan Pfeil at [email protected] or at 541-776-4468.