Bend Police scale back hunt for two men on the run from traffic stop, one possibly armed; say they likely left area
(Update: Adding video, police update, comments by resident)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Bend Police alerted area residents late Thursday morning and began a large manhunt in northeast Bend for two men - one possibly armed - who ran from officers at a traffic stop. By late afternoon, they said the two likely had left the area.
Bend Police Communications Manager Sheila Miller said that around 10:33 a.m. Bend Police attempted a traffic stop on a silver Kia Rio in the area of Deschutes Market and Yeoman roads. Officers believed a person in the car, a 46-year-old Bend man, was associated with a weapons offense that took place on NE Bellevue Drive around 3:30 a.m.
The driver, accompanied by a male passenger, did not stop for officers, instead driving into the Solis at Petrosa apartment complex at a high rate of speed, Miller said. The driver and passenger then ran southbound from the car. As of 1:30 p.m., they have not been taken into custody.
The suspects in this incident are described as adult white men; Miller told KTVZ News it's not yet clear who was driving at the time.
The weapons offense suspect has a shaved head and may be armed with a firearm. The other person, whom officers have not yet identified, reportedly was wearing a black flat-billed baseball cap.
Miller said the Bend man faces these charges: Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Police Officer, Burglary I, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Menacing.
In an updated Deschutes Alert to residents, sent just after 4 p.m., police said:
"Most law enforcement has left the area, general patrols will continue. Police believe the suspect is no longer in the area and there is no immediate danger to the public. If you see any suspicious activity, please call 911."
Area resident Michael Chrisman told KTVZ News what he'd witnessed: "There was an armored carrier out here and about 20 police officers with a dog. There was a drone."
Officers also went door to door, letting neighbors know what was happening and asking if they'd seen anything suspicious.
Chrisman was pleased by the big response he witnessed: "I'm glad that they were as attentive as they were, and was responsive as they were. So it's good to know that we have an active police force to protect us."
Around 11:20 a.m., Deschutes County 911 dispatchers put out two emergency alerts to people in a half-mile radius of the traffic stop, alerting them to the suspects, warning that one could be armed, and directing anyone who may see the pair to call 911 and not approach them.
Both Trinity Lutheran School and Eastmont School were alerted to the incident. Other nearby schools were not in session today.
"The public should expect a continued large police presence in the NE Bend area as the investigation continues," Miller said.
KTVZ News had crews on the scene, also livestreaming on the web, our KTVZ News app and KTVZ+.
At one point, officers were blocking off access to the trail along an irrigation canal, then shifted their search to a nearby neighborhood.
A 12:15 Deschutes Alert update said: "Confirmed sighting of suspects near Thornhill Lane and Amherst Place just north of Nasu Park Loop off Butler Market Road"
Here's the full text of the initial Deschutes Alert, sent out at 11:21 a.m.
Bend Police in the area of Deschutes Market Rd and Butler Market Rd: Law Enforcement Activity
2025-04-17 11:21:38 PDT
Bend Police in the area of Deschutes Market Rd and Butler Market Rd: Law Enforcement activity in the area of Butler Mrket Rd & Deschutes Market Rd. Law enforcement is in the area of Deschutes Market Rd and Butler Market Rd looking for two suspects who fled on foot. One suspect is a white male adult with a shaved head. The second suspect is a white male adult with a black flat bill hat. The suspect with the shaved head is reported to be armed with a firearm. If you see subjects matching this description or any suspicious activity in the area, please do not approach and call 911 right away.
