NE Bend illegal fireworks ‘show’ sparks anger from some neighbors, cheers from others
(Update: adding video, new info, comments from neighbors, Bend police)
Some neighbors say they're frustrated at lack of police response; others had no problem with 'show'
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- In the midst of an active wildfire season, and with a state of emergency still in place through the end of August, illegal fireworks were shot off from the front parking lot of Mountain View High School in northeast Bend late Monday night.
Just after 10 p.m., neighbors in the area reported hearing loud booms. It turned out to be fireworks blasting above their heads, which lasted for about five to ten minutes.
"Oh, I was sleeping really soundly, in the bed, feeling all cozy -- then all of a sudden, I started hearing loud booms and I thought, 'Oh no -- that's got to be fireworks,'" said Shari Burkhart-Beuning, who lives a couple blocks away. "Why are they doing that? It's so dry!"
Not everyone was upset, though. Like the very topic of fireworks, or the recent ban, the views were split.
"I did not mind what happened," Landon Coonrod said. "I actually enjoyed listening to the fireworks. I didn't mind. I'd love to see it again."
But Jamie Reitmann told NewsChannel 21 he left his house to try and put a stop to the show.
"I mean, c'mon!” Reitmann said. “With everything that's going on -- what do we have, two fires now in La Pine, and the big one up in Grandview and stuff like that? And there's people doing stupid stuff like that? It's just uncalled for."
Reitmann said a neighbor called Deschutes County 911 to report the fireworks, but police never showed up.
"The fact that someone called, and they didn't send someone down there ... surprises me,” Burkhart-Beuning said.
People can also report fireworks through the joint email account from Deschutes County and the city of Bend: fireworks@bendoregon.gov.
Since July 1, that account has received 369 fireworks-related emails. Meanwhile, Bend Police have received 47 fireworks-related calls in that span.
Those have only resulted in two citations.
Bend Police Lt. Juli McConkey said, "If it's not an immediate risk to life persons or property, then we're going to not have it as high on our priority list.”
McConkey said the email account is mainly used to review the total number of complaints and general points of concern at the end of the season, as well as provide information in case any fire or crime does occur.
