October 12, 2011
By Alicia Inns, KTVZ.com
Each Party Claimed Other Was Firing Toward Them; One Minor Injury
BEND, Ore. -- Two pairs of duck hunters at a site near Benham
Falls, south of Bend, got into a dispute Wednesday morning, each
claiming to be struck by the others’ shotgun pellets, one suffering
a minor injury, authorities said.
Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies got a report around 7:45 a.m.
of a shooting complaint near the Deschutes River, about a
quarter-mile downstream from the Slough Camp day use area, said
sheriff’s Sgt. Bryan Husband.
Deputies and detectives responded to the location, a well-known
duck hunting location open to the public with the proper hunting
license and associated stamps, Husband said. An Oregon State Police
game trooper also responded, to help with the investigation.
Through interviews, Husband said they determined that Grant
Boswell, 51, and Austin Boswell, 18, both of Bend, had been hunting
together, at least 150 yards away from two other hunters, Caleb
Keener, 26, and Isaac Sabo, 31, also of Bend.
Both hunting parties reported to have been struck by shotgun
pellets fired by the opposite party from a distance of at least 150
yards, the sergeant said.
Caleb Keener received a minor injury as a result of the shooting
and did not require medical attention, Husband said, adding that
there were no other reported injuries.
The incident occurred in an area between Benham and Dillon Falls
in accessible by road, so a boat was brought in to shuttle
investigators to the scene.
Husband said in a news release Wednesday afternoon that the
incident remained under investigation, and no arrests had been made.
He said the results of the investigation will be forwarded to the
district attorney’s office for review.
The sheriff’s office also reminded all of people recreating in
the area to be mindful of the area you are in, especially those
areas open to hunting during applicable seasons. “Hunters should be
aware of their shooting backdrop at all times,” Husband added.
