Fatal Officer-Involved Shooting Investigation in The Dalles, Oregon

Both officers are on paid administrative leave, a standard procedure during officer-involved shooting investigations.

Salem-News.com

(PORTLAND, OR) - Oregon State Police (OSP) Criminal Investigation Division detectives, with the assistance of Wasco County Sheriff's Office and Wasco County District Attorney's Office, are continuing the investigation into the fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred about midnight Tuesday, September 18, 2012 in The Dalles. The shooting involving two City of The Dalles Police Department officers resulted in the death of 50-year old Gerald Arthur Stowell Jr., from The Dalles.

The involved officers are identified as:

• Officer Steven Rue, age 36, has ten years of law enforcement experience
• Officer Christopher Simonds, age 35, has nine years of law enforcement experience

Both are on paid administrative leave, a standard procedure during officer-involved shooting investigations.

The Wasco County District Attorney's Office is continuing to work with detectives and when the investigation is concluded, it will be reviewed to determine if the force used was lawful.

According to OSP Lieutenant Patrick Shortt, detectives are working very hard to insure nothing is overlooked or ignored.

"We want to make sure the public, the law enforcement community and the deceased's family knows that the case is being investigated properly and professionally," said Shortt.

According to Chief Jay Waterbury, the last officer-involved shooting for their department occurred in 1999. That incident was also a fatal shooting.