Shots fired during Prineville forklift dispute
A fight over repossession of a forklift in northeast Prineville Tuesday afternoon led to one man being hit by another and several gunshots that struck no one, police said Wednesday as they continued to investigate the incident and seek any other witnesses.
Police and Crook County sheriff’s deputies responded around 12:30 p.m. to a reported altercation at an industrial business in the 700 block of NE Peters Road, said police Capt. Michael Boyd.
They learned four men had been in a fight over repossession of a forklift, one of whom was struck and injured by another man, Boyd said.
One of the men fired several shots from a handgun, but no one was struck and the gun was recovered at the scene by officers.
“As best as we can tell, (the man with the gun) consistently and intentionally shot at the ground or at the tires of the forklift,” Boyd told NewsChannel 21 on Wednesday, adding, “I think we got lucky on this one.”
Boyd said all of those involved were interviewed by police, the scene was checked and several pieces of evidence were located.
More interviews and analysis of forensic evidence are under way, Boyd said, adding that Oregon State Police are assisting in that analysis
Anyone who may have witnessed the altercation was asked to contact Prineville police investigators at (541) 447-8330.
