A Sunday evening domestic disturbance call on a rural stretch near Aumsville escalated into a deadly-force response involving Marion County deputies, according to the sheriff's office.
Deputies were dispatched at about 7:08 p.m. on March 29 to a home in the 12000 block of West Stayton Road for a reported domestic disturbance. During that response, they became involved in what officials described as a "use-of-deadly-force incident." In an update posted on the sheriff's Facebook page, the agency said no deputies were injured and that additional details would be released as the investigation moves forward.
The sheriff's office said the Salem Police Department will handle the criminal investigation because it was not part of the initial call. Silverton police, the Oregon State Police and other agencies are assisting with the case. Authorities have not disclosed the condition of anyone who may have been struck or whether anyone was taken into custody, and they have directed the public to await further information from the investigating agencies.
Salem to Lead Investigation Under SB 111
Under Marion County's SB 111 response plan, a law enforcement agency that was not involved in the initial incident typically leads any deadly-force investigation in order to promote impartiality, according to the Marion County District Attorney's Office. In this case, Salem Police will take the lead on the criminal inquiry.
The District Attorney's Office is consulted on the direction of the investigation and has the legal authority to decide whether the case should be presented to a grand jury. While Salem Police coordinate the on-scene work, other agencies assist with processing evidence and canvassing witnesses.
What SB 111 Requires
The county's SB 111 plan lays out specific steps for investigators after any intentional use of deadly physical force, including how to secure the scene, collect and preserve evidence, and time interviews with involved officers and witnesses.
As the plan notes, "The District Attorney has the sole statutory and constitutional duty to make the decision on whether to present a matter to a Grand Jury," and officers involved in a deadly-force incident are typically offered counseling and may be placed on administrative leave. Investigators are also instructed to seize involved officers' weapons when appropriate and to delay formal interviews until those officers have had an opportunity to consult with legal counsel.
Local Context
This marks the second deadly-force response involving Marion County deputies this month. On March 17, deputies shot a man in Salem following a reported hostage call, an incident for which the Oregon State Police led the criminal investigation and that was reported by OPB. That earlier case highlighted the SB 111 framework that Marion County agencies follow for officer-involved deadly-force incidents.
In Sunday night's case near Aumsville, county officials again urged patience while investigators sort through what happened. "All future updates regarding this case will be released by the Salem Police Department or the Marion County District Attorney's Office," the sheriff's office said. A separate notice posted to FlashAlert echoed that reminder, signaling that more answers will come only after the outside investigators finish their work.
