Prosecutor says Washington Co. deputy justified in fatal shooting
HILLSBORO, Ore. (AP) - A prosecutor has decided that a Washington County sheriff's deputy was justified in fatally shooting an intoxicated, suicidal man who aimed a loaded rifle at deputies who had responded to a call for help from the man's wife.
Deputy Brian McLeod fatally shot 52-year-old Robert Fox on June 3 outside Fox's Aloha, Ore. home.
Washington County Chief Deputy District Attorney Roger Hanlon said Friday that his investigation showed that Fox ignored repeated instructions to drop the rifle and that the deputy didn't fire until the man aimed the weapon at officers.
Hanlon says Fox made comments to relatives earlier in the day that he wanted to kill himself.
Aloha is west of Portland.
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
Some people seem to be expecting the officer go through a mental checklist regarding all of the possible repercussions that will result in firing his weapon as well as doing a psychological analysis of the suspect pointing a presumably loaded weapon at him.
The guy wanted to die and cops just helped him out.
Appears there is a mixed-bag of opinions on this thread and all are valid. Having been a deputy sheriff, what choice did this deputy have when a 911 call came in that we had to respond to? None is the answer and this deputy gets to live with it for the rest of life - more victims than just Robert Fox's family in my humble opinion...
I'm glad the officer was cleared of any wrong-doing. But, let's be clear, it was the grand jury, not Roger Hanlon who made that decision. To be honest, I have a personal beef with Roger, and the last time I saw him, I almost knocked him out with a left hook to his (glass) jaw. He is an ass. And an arrogant S.O.B. at that.
I make mention of that because, we as a society, have this silly "ideal" that our police and prosecutors are some sort of divinely ordained paladins, who are supposed to come to our rescue when danger comes a'calling.
Not so.
They are human beings with their own brand of failings and failures.
That is an important point to remember the next time one of you comes into contact with the police. That guy has to go home to a wife and kids perhaps, and sit down and write a check to the power company the same as you or I.
So does Roger, and none of us are perfect.
All we can do is hope for an effort towards doing what we believe is best, and in this case, I think the officer did.
 @Don_KeyshowÂ
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I concur with the bulk of your statement except for the point about the grand jury making the decision. It 's the DA's who decides if the case warrants a review by the grand jury and I believe in this instance the situation was so clear cut that no GJ review was ordered.
 @Scotty9  @Don_Keyshow yep
Why is there a picture of Deputy McLeod with this story? Shouldn't the appropriate picture be of the suspect who was shot? I'm glad no deputies were injured in this confrontation with the armed man. I hope Deputy McLeod can put this behind him and move on without any harmful emotional impacts on him and his family, or affect his career. Deputy McLeod, you are a survivor! Â
 @jpk Y'know, back in the horse & buggy days, they DID post pictures of the dummies who had been shot by the local sheriff or deputy. They'd stand them up, inside their pine box, and usually strip off their shirt to show the bullet holes. Partly, I think to demonstrate that the town's constable was a semi-accurate shot. And partly, to discourage others of like mind from getting out of line. That of course didn't always work. But, in our modern "civilized" day and age, we aren't allowed to do that, and so you always get some jerk who thinks that the cops should show up and expect the suspect (a.k.a. criminal) to be subdued with a hail of doilies and sugar cubes.
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Ours was a MUCH better behaved society when being rude to a lady, or stealing a horse could get you killed. Now, people have no restraint whatsoever.
Hey, this dude just got what he wanted. No more issues with him! Police did the proper thing. When someone aims a loaded weapon at you, and you are also armed, best to get the first shot.
Aloha is west of Portland. I'm glad we cleared that up.
There is no situation so dark, so desperate, or so hopeless, that it can't be made worse by the arrival of a police officer.
 @pdxh**** Of the 10's of thousands of contacts with WCSO deputies every year the number of deadly use of force encounters is so small it barely registers. I suggest that if you have some magical way of dealing with armed suspects that you make your services available to your local police agency. If nothing else they could use you as a bullet absorbing shield.
 @pdxh**** Next time you're in a dark, desperate, hopeless situation...don't call the cops. Â
Be sure to let KATU know how that works out for you.Â
 @'CouvGuy  @pdxh**** Ha ha ha...call KATU instead.
 @pdxh**** I suppose that you would be prepared to bet your life and the lives of your loved ones on the chance that the person threatening everyone with a loaded weapon and pointing it at them doesn't really mean any harm? Sorry but my life, the lives of my loved ones and the lives of innocent bystanders are worth more than that.
Your comment appears to treat the life of the out-of-control person threatening everyone with a loaded weapon as being more important than the lives of those who were being threatened. I believe that is a fundamentally irrational position.
@pdxh**** What a troll-like comment. Do you think there might have been other steps the family may have taken in this situation? Perhaps remove weapons and keys from the home when such comments are made? Call a hotline for advice? Officers go on calls regularly that do NOT end in such a scenario. Of course those are not newsworthy because nothing terrible happens.Â
O.K., I live in Aloha. Â Besides that, there has to be a better way to handle people then killing them. Â There is non-lethal force.
I think perhpahs what you dont understand is that unlike hollywood when you shoot someone they do not just fall over dead. Once this officer shot this guy there is still enough oxygen in a persons body to empty an entire clip in a handgun or discharge all rounds from a rifle.  The idea of shooting someone is to cause sever wounds that bleed the person knocking them out. that is unless you get a lucky shot on the spinal column or brain that instantly incapacitates them.  Â
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It is this very reason police fire to empty a clip into someone because the adrenaline rush the person shot feels will keep them going for quite some time otherwise.  That is why you dont take a non lethal approach to someone with a loaded lethal weapon. Â
 @jpdx00
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"It is this very reason police fire to empty a clip into someone because the adrenaline rush the person shot feels will keep them going for quite some time otherwise."
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I agree with everything in your comment except to clarify the above portion. Police train to shoot until the threat is not longer a threat. That might take one bullet or 20 depending on the circumstances.
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In short distance, spontaneous gunfights, which most are, the officer is reacting to an instantaneous situation where the suspect produces a gun and starts shooting. The officer will shift into survival mode and start placing rounds on target as fast as possible. Ideally the officer is analyzing the effect of his shot placement as the gunfight unfolds, but in reality he or she will keep firing until the suspect hits the ground. Most gunfights are over in less than a few seconds.
 @MFMFIM Why do you believe that the life of the out-of-control person who is threatening everyone nearby with a loaded weapon is more important than the lives of innocent bystanders or the lives of the law enforcement officers who respond?
 @MFMFIM So,,,,, are you afraid that Deputy Brian McLeod will target you next.
 @MFMFIM Oh sure there are non-lethal ways! So then, if you, MFMFIM, are suggesting that they should have used that on this guy, then why did we not shoot Osama with those bean bag guns or pepper spray if you want non-lethal force on a person who has shown intent to kill. Face it! If anyone raises a gun, real or just looks real, at the police, kill them. It is a threat.
Less lethal is effective on it's best day, 50% of the time and you have to be in close to do that. Not very safe when you have someone armed with a weapon that is effective at 100+yards.Â
 @MFMFIMÂ
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Exactly, we should always allow the "Bad Guy" to get the first shot. Our police officers and their families are expendable and besides they knew what they were getting into before they took the job. (sarcasm)
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Sometimes you don't have time, or the right circumstances to deploy less than lethal weapons. To expect our LE to confront people, who have rifles, with pepper spray and tazers is not only ridiculous, but suicidal.
What fantasy land do you live in....This ain't the movies....when someone points a rifle at the police, you will be shot. The threat is taken out immediately....after verbal commands are given without any compliance.
Suicidal or not if you aim a gun at a police officer you're going to get shot.