A pair of Portland men were charged this week in connection with the shooting of two Clackamas County sheriff’s deputies during their response to a June 30 burglary call.
The two deputies — Dan Blair, an eight-year veteran and field training officer for the sheriff’s office, and Jeremy McKenna, who is a new recruit and still in training — both survived with treatable injuries.
The shooting happened around 7 a.m. Friday, June 30, near Southeast Johnson Creek Boulevard and Southeast 70th Avenue in the Southgate neighborhood, about four miles north of Clackamas.
The deputies were responding to a burglary call and arrived to find two men at the scene. When the deputies tried to detain the two suspects for questioning, one of the men — later identified as Tyler James Scott, 32 — allegedly drew a handgun and opened fire.
Both deputies were injured by gunfire and at least one of them returned fire, but none of the shots hit the suspects. Other responding deputies arrived a few minutes later to administer first aid to the wounded officers and take the two suspects into custody.
Sheriff Angela Brandenburg told reporters Friday that one officer was struck in the arm and the other in the abdomen and ballistic vest. They were transported to and treated at Oregon Health & Science University, both being released later the same day.
“Our deputies put themselves in harm’s way each and every day, facing unknown and unpredictable circumstances, and I am so thankful that both deputies survived today’s potentially fatal encounter,” Brandenburg said at a brief press conference last week.
Scott faces charges of two counts of aggravated attempted murder of a police officer, two counts of first-degree attempted murder, felon in possession of a firearm, second-degree burglary and first-degree theft. All four attempted murder charges are class A felonies.
Scott was previously charged with felony robbery in Clackamas County in November 2010, ultimately pleading guilty, online court records show. He has also been found guilty of felony and misdemeanor charges of escape, resisting arrest and interfering with a peace or probation officer.
The other suspect, Joseph Ray Shaffer, 46, is not believed to have fired on the officers and faces charges of second-degree burglary and first-degree theft. Both men are from southeast Portland, according to police.
They were each booked into the Clackamas County Jail and made their first court appearances Monday, being arraigned virtually before Clackamas County Circuit Judge Cody Weston. Scott’s bail has been set at $1 million; Schaffer’s at $60,000.
A grand jury will hear evidence in this case as well as the use of force by deputies and consider indictments next week, according to a release from the Clackamas County district attorney’s office.
This was the fourth incident this year in which county deputies were fired on by suspects.
“The district attorney’s office remains committed to holding violent offenders accountable including those who attack law enforcement,” the statement from Deputy District Attorney Chris Owen said.
“We recognize the sacrifices law enforcement officers make each and everyday in Clackamas County and across the State of Oregon. We are dedicated to doing everything in our power as an agency to keep law enforcement safe as we work together for a safer Clackamas County.”
