A normally quiet Tigard neighborhood near SW Scholls Ferry Road and SW Summer Lake Avenue turned tense over the weekend after police got a report that a man had fired a bow and arrow at a family member’s car. Officers flooded the area as they checked the scene, and neighbors noted an unusually large police presence. No injuries were reported.
What police say
Kelsey Anderson, public information officer with Tigard Police, said a man “shot a bow and arrow at a family member’s car” and that “nobody was hurt.” The call brought a large number of officers to the neighborhood, and a drone was deployed as part of the response. Officers eventually cleared the scene without making an on-scene arrest, and the investigation remains active, according to KATU.
Drone team deployed
Officers used a drone to help search the area, a tactic the department has turned to for searches and hard-to-reach terrain. The Tigard Police Department maintains a dedicated Drone Team and has previously used thermal-imaging drones during responses, according to the Tigard Police Department.
Uncommon weapon, high stakes
Bows and arrows are still a rare weapon in U.S. crimes, but when they do show up they can create unpredictable and dangerous encounters for both bystanders and officers. A recent high-profile case in Maryland, where a man firing arrows at vehicles was later shot by police, shows how quickly these situations can escalate and the legal questions they can raise, as reported in the masked archer killing in Arbutus.
How to help
Anyone with information about the Tigard incident is asked to contact the Tigard Police tip line at 503-718-COPS (2677) or email [email protected], as noted by the department’s newsroom. For non-emergencies, residents can call the department’s main line and check the newsroom for updates.
