Redmond PD: Homeless man assaulted, critically injured

Redmond police said Wednesday they are investigating an assault in an area of homeless camps on the city’s east side that has left a 29-year-old man in critical condition at St. Charles Bend.

Shortly after 4 p.m. Tuesday, officers responded to St. Charles Bend after Deschutes County 911 dispatchers got a call from someone saying they were driving an unconscious man to the hospital from the area east of Redmond, said Lt. Curtis Chambers.

Officers and detectives contacted friends and family of the victim at the hospital as an investigation began into the circumstances of the assault, Chambers said.

He said detectives learned the assault took place on vacant land on the east side of Redmond, inside the city limits, in the area of East Highway 126 and Southeast Ninth Street. Chambers said the area has several transient camps, both within and outside the city limits.

When the assault victim arrived at the hospital, he did not have a heartbeat and was not breathing, Chambers said.

“Hospital staff worked very hard to save the (man’s) life,” he added in a news release.

The man later was flown by AirLink helicopter to St. Charles Bend, where Chambers said he remained in critical condition Wednesday afternoon.

The investigation continued through the night, and two people of interest were identified. Just after midnight, detectives and officers conducted a traffic stop on their vehicle. The two people inside were interviewed at the Redmond Police Department and later released, pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation, Chambers said.

The area just east of Redmond has several homeless people living on both private and public (BLM) property, Chambers noted.

“Homelessness is a societal issue which can only be solved by our community coming together,” the lieutenant wrote. “Your Redmond Police Department and the City of Redmond are working with the Homeless Leadership Coalition to help find a solution to this problem.

“The Redmond Police Department understands the frustrations of the private property owners affected by the homeless population residing on their property, and we are very appreciative of their willingness to allow the Homeless Coalition to work to resolve this issue,” Chambers added.

Redmond police were assisted in the case by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office.