A 34-year-old transient was jailed after threatening a tour group riding utility terrain vehicles south of China Hat Road. According to Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched Friday afternoon to a reported weapons offense near China Hat Rd. in the area of Forest Service Rd. 1810. Responding deputies learned a transient male, confronted a tour group riding utility terrain vehicles in the area of his camp.
Deputies learned the suspect pointed a firearm at the group, and discharged the firearm in close proximity to a juvenile female.
DCSO Deputies arrived on scene and attempted to safely contact the suspect, which was unsuccessful. Additional DCSO personnel, including SWAT and Negotiators, responded to the scene and made contact with him. Negotiators communicated through the use of an armored vehicle.
The suspect was uncooperative with law enforcement attempts to take him into custody and attempted to return to his van where law enforcement believed he had access to weapons. K9s Ronin and Delta were deployed and successfully captured the suspect. He was transported by Bend Fire to SCMC Bend for evaluation of possible injuries consistent with the K9 capture.
The suspect was jailed on the following charges: Unlawful Use of a Weapon x3; Coercion; Menacing x3; Attempted Assault 4th Degree; Reckless Endangering x2
