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Teen shoots, wounds intruder
By JACK MORAN
Mail Tribune
A 13-year-old boy shot and wounded an armed intruder Thursday outside a north Medford home, prompting police to order lockdowns at four nearby schools while officers searched for the injured suspect.
The wounded man ran from the scene of the 12:30 p.m. shooting and had not been located as of 10 p.m. Thursday, police said.
The teen shooter told police that he was alone at his grandmother’s home in the 2200 block of Crater Lake Avenue when he looked outside and saw a man attempting to break into a travel trailer situated in the back yard. The boy confronted the intruder, who allegedly pointed a handgun at the teen, Medford police Lt. Mike Moran said.
The youth told police he ran inside a garage and armed himself with a handgun. He then went back outside and shot the intruder, who fled toward Crater Lake Avenue, Moran said.
Police swarmed the area and ordered lockdowns at Wilson, Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln elementary schools as well as North Medford High School.
Brad Kay, who was working on a construction project at apartments adjacent to the home where the shooting occurred, said the police response was quick and heavy.
"We were taking lunch when we heard a shot," said Kay. "The next thing we knew, this place was surrounded."
Kay said he did not hear any "commotion" before the shot was fired.
A police dog was unable to track the injured man’s exit route, Moran said. An Oregon State Police forensics team assisted Medford police at the scene of the shooting.
While police are still investigating whether the shooting was a justifiable act, the wounded intruder is expected to face attempted burglary and trespass charges if he is located, Moran said. The man is described as a white male who is about 19 or 20 years old. He stands about 6 feet 3 inches tall and has a "skinny" build, police said. The intruder was wearing a white tank top and cut-off jean shorts when the shooting occurred.
When the lockdown was ordered, North Medford High officials sent staff around the neighborhood to round up students who were on a lunch break at the time, principal Doug McKenzie said.
"Our team did a nice job in clearing the streets of students," he said. "We didn’t really get a lot of information, but we did know there were shots fired. I could hear the sirens, and could tell police (business) was going on down around Crater Lake Avenue."
Officials at locked-down schools sent explanatory letters home with students at the end of the day to inform parents of the situation.
Janis Shade, principal of Kennedy, said students who walked to school were escorted home Thursday afternoon by Medford police officers. Shade said students and staff remained calm throughout the tense incident.
Lockdowns at all schools were lifted by 2 p.m., officials said.
http://www.mailtribune.com/archive/2005/0415/local/stories/03local.htm
By JACK MORAN
Mail Tribune
A 13-year-old boy shot and wounded an armed intruder Thursday outside a north Medford home, prompting police to order lockdowns at four nearby schools while officers searched for the injured suspect.
The wounded man ran from the scene of the 12:30 p.m. shooting and had not been located as of 10 p.m. Thursday, police said.
The teen shooter told police that he was alone at his grandmother’s home in the 2200 block of Crater Lake Avenue when he looked outside and saw a man attempting to break into a travel trailer situated in the back yard. The boy confronted the intruder, who allegedly pointed a handgun at the teen, Medford police Lt. Mike Moran said.
The youth told police he ran inside a garage and armed himself with a handgun. He then went back outside and shot the intruder, who fled toward Crater Lake Avenue, Moran said.
Police swarmed the area and ordered lockdowns at Wilson, Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln elementary schools as well as North Medford High School.
Brad Kay, who was working on a construction project at apartments adjacent to the home where the shooting occurred, said the police response was quick and heavy.
"We were taking lunch when we heard a shot," said Kay. "The next thing we knew, this place was surrounded."
Kay said he did not hear any "commotion" before the shot was fired.
A police dog was unable to track the injured man’s exit route, Moran said. An Oregon State Police forensics team assisted Medford police at the scene of the shooting.
While police are still investigating whether the shooting was a justifiable act, the wounded intruder is expected to face attempted burglary and trespass charges if he is located, Moran said. The man is described as a white male who is about 19 or 20 years old. He stands about 6 feet 3 inches tall and has a "skinny" build, police said. The intruder was wearing a white tank top and cut-off jean shorts when the shooting occurred.
When the lockdown was ordered, North Medford High officials sent staff around the neighborhood to round up students who were on a lunch break at the time, principal Doug McKenzie said.
"Our team did a nice job in clearing the streets of students," he said. "We didn’t really get a lot of information, but we did know there were shots fired. I could hear the sirens, and could tell police (business) was going on down around Crater Lake Avenue."
Officials at locked-down schools sent explanatory letters home with students at the end of the day to inform parents of the situation.
Janis Shade, principal of Kennedy, said students who walked to school were escorted home Thursday afternoon by Medford police officers. Shade said students and staff remained calm throughout the tense incident.
Lockdowns at all schools were lifted by 2 p.m., officials said.
http://www.mailtribune.com/archive/2005/0415/local/stories/03local.htm
