Three Salem Men in Custody After 'Shots Fired' Call

If you have any information regarding this case, please contact the Marion County Sheriff's Office at (503) 588-5032.

Counterclockwise from top left: Harlan Cole, Matthew Coulter and Richard Tyler. Photos of suspects: Marion County Sheriff's Office

(SALEM, Ore.) - Marion County Sheriff's deputies responded to a disturbance call in the 2800 block of Lancaster Drive NE at 3:42 a.m. this morning, where they made contact with several people having a party in an apartment.

Lieutenant Sheila Lorance with the Sheriff's Office, says that as deputies were talking to people, they located a male subject inside the residence who had a large gash on the back of his head and was bleeding heavily.

"Medics were called and the victim, identified as 21-year old Jamie Blain of Salem, was transported to the Salem Hospital with non life-threatening injuries."

Lorance says deputies continued to investigate and interviewed everyone at the residence.

"However, they all reported they weren't able to identify the suspects who had assaulted Blain and that they didn't see the assault occur. The deputies were unable to develop suspect information because everyone claimed the suspects showed up, broke into the apartment and assaulted Blain - but they were unable to provide names or descriptions of the suspects."

Based on the inability to develop possible suspect information at the apartment, Lorance says deputies were unable to continue the investigation into the assault, and they left.

Approximately an hour later, at 5:01 a.m., Salem dispatch received a call regarding shots fired at a vehicle near Lancaster Drive, Lorance said.

"At 5:09 am Salem Police Officer Baskett located a vehicle matching the description of the suspect vehicle believed to be involved in the shots fired call. Deputies responded to that location and determined the suspects and the vehicle were related to the earlier disturbance/assault call."

Lorance says the suspects in the vehicle were identified as 22-year old Mathew Coulter, 27-year old Harlon Cole and 22-year old Richard Tyler, all from Salem.

Deputy Nick Hunter, who had responded to the disturbance/assault call, determined that Cole lived at the apartment where the party and assault had occurred.

Lorance said, "After deputies left Cole's apartment, Cole, Coulter and Tyler decided to try and find the suspect who had assaulted Blain earlier that morning. They said someone had driven back to the apartment after deputies left and was yelling at them from a vehicle."

Cole, Coulter and Tyler then reportedly got into a vehicle and decided to try and follow the car to get a license plate number.

As Deputies continued the investigation and interviewed the suspects, they determined that Coulter had fired several shots at the vehicle near Lancaster and Hayesville Drive NE. Both Cole and Tyler were arrested on charges of Disorderly Conduct II and transported to the Marion County Jail. Coulter was arrested on charges of first-degree Disorderly Conduct, 4 counts of first-degree Attempted Assault, Unlawful use of a Weapon, Unlawful use of a Firearm and 4 counts of Reckless Endangering.

They were transported to the Marion County Jail.

Lorance says deputies are continuing the investigation into the assault against Blain. If you have any information regarding this case please contact the Marion County Sheriff's Office at (503) 588-5032.