DCSO deputy shoots fugitive sought in Alfalfa-area manhunt

(Update: District Attorney Hummel issues statement)

Residents had been warned to shelter in place, call 911 if seen

ALFALFA, Ore. (KTVZ) – A man wanted on a Washington state warrant, the subject of an Alfalfa-area manhunt and public alert on Tuesday, was shot by a Deschutes County sheriff’s deputy and taken into custody Wednesday after he was spotted on BLM land and displayed a knife, authorities said.

Deputies tried to arrest Seven Eugene Newburg, 47, around 1 p.m. Tuesday in the 24000 block of Deer Lane on an active warrant out of Washington state for parole violation and failure to register as a sex offender, but he ran, Sgt. Jayson Janes said.

Deputies tracked through BLM land for about six hours, using several K-9 teams and drones, discontinuing the effort shortly before 8 p.m..

Around 7:45 a.m. Wednesday, deputies were following up on information about Newburg’s whereabouts and located him walking on BLM land west of Bend Road, Janes said.

“When confronted, Newburg displayed a knife,” Janes said in a news release. “During this confrontation, a deputy shot Newburg. Less-than-lethal means also were attempted to get Newburg to drop the knife and take him into custody, Deputies negotiated with Newburg, and he was eventually taken into custody.”

Newburg was taken to St. Charles Bend with non-life-threatening injuries, the sergeant said.

Under the terms of Oregon Senate Bill 111, the Tri-County Major Incident Team was called in to investigate, Janes said, and the three deputies involved will be placed on administrative leave, pending the results of the investigation, which will be referred to the district attorney's office.

District Attorney John Hummel issued this statement on Friday:

“Fortunately, Steven Newburg is alive and recovering from the injuries he sustained in this incident.  A law enforcement officer’s decision whether to discharge a weapon is the most serious and consequential decision they have to make.  When they decide to shoot, the public rightfully asks why, and whether the decision was appropriate and lawful. My job is to answer these questions, and I will.  I expect this investigation to be completed relatively soon, and at that time I’ll release to the public my legal conclusion and the factual basis for it.”

More than 120 area residents had received an emergency phone alert, warning of a possibly armed fugitive on the run in the area and to shelter in place and call Deschutes County 911 if they spotted the man, described as a white male wearing a dark hat, dark sweatshirt and blue jeans.

K-9 teams and drones from the sheriff’s office and Bend Police tracked Newburg in a search that continued until well after dark but was called off shortly before 8 p.m., Janes said.

You can sign up to receive Deschutes County Alert System emergency phone alerts at this web page.