Redmond police find shell casings in Dry Canyon, unsure if tied to numerous reports of shots fired in area
(Update: Police give update, find shell casings)
A police drone was used, but no leads were found
REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Redmond police offered more details Monday on several reports of shots fired early Friday morning and said they found shell casings in the Dry Canyon, but are unsure if they were related. They are still seeking information from the public, including any security video to assist in the investigation.
Here's the information released Monday by Lieutenant April Huey:
On Friday, October 28, at approximately 5:07 A.M., officers from the Redmond Police Department were dispatched to a report of a shooting complaint in the 100 block of SW 15th Street. Another caller reported hearing gunshots in the 1400 block of W. Antler Avenue.
Officers arrived in the area around 5:10 A.M. but were unable to locate the origin of the possible shots reportedly fired.
Officers conducted follow-up, located evidence, and determined the time frame of the possible shots fired to be from 5 to 6 A.M. on October 28.
Additional follow-up and assistance from citizens resulted in shell casings found in the Dry Canyon near the dog park. It is not known with certainty at this time if the shell casings are related to the shots fired calls, but the incident is still under active investigation. At this time, there are no reports of anyone injured or any property damaged from the incident.
The Redmond Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in locating any additional evidence regarding this incident.
If you reside in the north part of town from NW Quince Avenue to SW Highland Avenue, specifically if you reside on either side of the Dry Canyon, please review any available surveillance cameras on Friday from 5 to 6 A.M.
If you saw or heard anything suspicious, or if your surveillance footage shows anything that could be useful, please contact the Redmond Police Department through the non-emergency Dispatch line at 541-693-6911, reference case #22-300091.
The Redmond Police Department would like to remind the public that it is illegal to discharge a firearm in the city limits. Unlawful Use of a Weapon, ORS 166.220, is a Class C Felony.
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Earlier story:
REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Numerous residents living in or near the Dry Canyon reported hearing several apparent gunshots early Friday morning, prompting a police response and search of the area, including a drone, but they did not find any leads to what happened.
One Redmond resident, Tim McCoy, said they heard the shots around 5:45 a.m., first about five and then a separate burst of “about a half-dozen.”
“We heard the shots coming from the direction of the canyon, but it was pretty loud, like it could have been closer,” McCoy said.
Tim Bauer said he lives on the Dry Canyon and "vividly heard the shots -- they woke me up and freaked me out."
Redmond Police Officer Joe Casper said “officers were in the area pretty quick” but “we weren’t able to locate anything.”
Although the calls came before sunrise, Casper said, “We did deploy one of our drones, just to see if we could do some surveillance from the air.”
When the police day shift came on at 6 a.m., “we pushed some resources over in that area,” Casper said, adding that more searches took place after daybreak Friday: “Maybe we can find some shell casings or something.”
There had been no such evidence found by midday Friday, Casper said, adding that it’s possible it could have been a sports car backfiring or something other than gunshots.
Bauer disputed any notion that it could be a car backfiring, saying, "There were three sets of shots. Each set consisted of 5-7 shots in rapid succession. It was definitely a semi-automatic rifle of some sort. We have a population of male deer in the area and I'm hoping that they weren't poaching!"
Most of the calls to Deschutes County 911 dispatchers came from around the Dry Canyon area, but it “could have been coming from anywhere,” Casper said. “We have no actual reports from anyone seeing anything. … We have no good leads to go on.”
