On Friday, Sept. 20, 2024 at about 6:09 p.m. Siletz residents called 911 to report adult male in his 20’s walking toward the Siletz Valley Charter School while holding a rifle. At the time of the call, football and volleyball teams were in practice at the school, leading to the school being placed on lockdown.
Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded and began attempting to locate the armed male. At this time, deputies and Siletz residents heard gun shots to the west of nearby Southwest Swan Avenue and Ferry Avenue.
LCSO Deputies, with assistance from Newport Police Officers, Toledo Police Officers and Oregon State Police Troopers, located a relative of the armed male and determined the rifle was likely a pellet gun. Law enforcement in the area then located the male near Northwest James Franks Ave and Northwest C Street and confirmed that the rifle was a Gamo, Whisper Fusion, .21 caliber, air rifle and that there was no threat to the school or community. The male explained that he was walking from his residence to another. The air rifle involved was consistent with a black full size hunting rifle, validating citizen’s concerns.
The male was educated by police on how his actions were interpreted by the community. The gunshots heard by police and the community were determined to be unrelated target shooting in the area outside the city of Siletz. No crimes were committed in this incident and no arrests were made.
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office is grateful to the Toledo Police Department, the Newport Police Department, the Oregon State Police, Willamette Valley Communications Center and Toledo Police Dispatch, as well as the Siletz Valley Fire District, who responded to assist in this incident.
