PPD investigates two incidents of people brandishing guns
By Terry Murry on Wednesday, July 6th, 2022 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
PENDLETON – Police Chief Chuck Byram says his detectives are investigating two cases from over the weekend where different suspects are reported to have brandished firearms. He says that fortunately in both instances, no shots were fired.
He says one case saw a juvenile outside at about 10 p.m. Saturday when a person walked by and brandished a firearm “for no apparent reason” on Southwest 16th Street. In this case, Byram said that detectives have a suspect in mind as the investigation continues.
The second incident occurred early Sunday morning at Electric Sundown, the former Elks Lodge, on Southeast Third Street as a man brandished a firearm at people in the parking lot, jumped in a vehicle and left. Byram says they have a strong lead on that one.
“The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office went to a crash just outside the city limits and it was the same make and model of vehicle and inside that vehicle they located a firearm,” Byram said.
The chief is concerned with the increasing number of weapons being brandished.
“We’re encountering a lot more people that are armed and I just want to reiterate how dangerous it is for our officers,” he said. “We do everything we can to keep them safe, but it’s really dangerous out there for them and it’s getting more dangerous.”
