On "l?harsday 4/21/2016 I was on duty, in full uniform and working for the Harney
County Sheritl?s Of?ce in Barns, l-Iarney County, Oregon.

At approximately 1638 I was advised by dispatch that someone had hose shot and
being transported to Fields, Hartley County, Oregon. Dispatch informed me that the
victim was being transported in a silver dodge pickup.

At approximately 1801 I arrived on scene and there was a li responder on scene
giving medical attention to the victim.

I conducted video and audio recorded interviews with all of the individuals that were
present when the shooting took place.

Stephen Bechtel audio! video recorded interview:

1 spoke with Stephen first about the incident. 1 informed Mr. Baehtel that I was
recording the conversation. Mr. Buchtel told me that the incident took place in the Callow
valley area approximately 10 miles away in l-larney County, Oregon. r. Euchre] said
that he was located to the left of the victim Robert Dempsey. Mr. Buchtel said that at
about 1615hrs he heard Bob yelling profanities and Mr. Bechtel said that it was obvious
that something had happened and Bob was in pain. Mr. Buehtel informed me that he and
a group of his ?riends were sitting in lawn chairs in a line and shooting at sage rats out in
front of them. Mr. Buehtel stated he was located to Bob's lell approximately 15 yards.
Mr. Bechtel also stated there was a pickup between him and Bob and he was using it as a
wind de?ector. Mr. Buchtel stated his area for shooting was to the left of the pickup and
away [tom the other shooters. Mr. Bechtel said there was a steady amount of gun the and
then he heard Bob start yelling and knew that something had happened.

Mr. Bechtel said when he heard Bob yell he put down his gun and stood up. Mr. Buchtel
said that. is when he witnessed Bob on one knee in front of his lawn chair holding his
lower left back. Mr. Bechtel said when he went to Bob?s side he looked at the wound and
Mr. Bechtel said it looked like Bob had tried to holster a pistol in a shoulder holster and
had an accidental discharge. Mr. Bechtel said 1301) did not have a shoulder holster so the
round had to have come from somewhere else. Mr. Bechtel said Larry O'Dea went to his
vehicle and brought back a medical kit. Mr. Buehtel said they started to administer that
aid to the wound and then loaded Bob up in a. Vehicle and transported him until they
could ?nd cell phone service and called 911. Mr. Buchtel told me he is the one who
called 91 1 while they transported Bob to the Fields store. For full details see attached
recording. Mr. Bechtel informed me there were other guys in the camp cleaning and
packing everything up. Mr. Buohtel told are they were all meeting here at our location.

Michael Lieb audio/video recorded interview:

(Note: During the interview 1 noted that I could smell the odor ol? an alcoholic beverage
coating from his breath, glassy, watery and bloodshot eyes.) 

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 informed Mr. Lieh thatl was recording the conversation. Mr. Lieb said Mr. O'Des and
Bob were on his left side and Mr. Miller was to his right in a straight line and shooting
from lawn chairs at sage rats. Mr. Lieb said he was sitting to the right of Bob
approximately 2 feet and Mr. O'Dea was to the left ot?Bob. Mr. Lieb said that Bob
jumped and that is when he became aware that something was wrong. Mr. Lieh said his
first impression of Bob yelling was he had been shot. Mr. Lieb said he did hear a gunshot
just prior to Bob yelling and he said the gunshot came from his teft side. Mr. Lieb
informed me Jim Miller was to his right side and Bob and Larry O?Dea was to his left.
Mr. Lieh offered and started to draw a diagram of where everyone was sitting at the time
of the incident. Mr. Lieh said everyone came to assist Bob and that is when he went to the
pickup and unloaded everything so Bob could he transported. Mr. Lieb said they loaded
Bob up in the pickup and he drove until they could ?nd cell service to call 9] 1. Mr. Lieh
said after the 911 call they continued into the fields store parking lot. After arriving in the
Fields Store parking lot the ?rst responder took over care for Bob. For futl details see
attached recording. 

Jeffrey Purvis audio/video recorded interview:

(Note: During the interview 1 noted that 1 could smell the odor of an alcoholic beverage
coming from his breath, glassy, watery and bloodshot eyes.)

I informed Mr. Purvis I was recording the conversation. Mr. i?urvis said he heard a
gunshot and then immediately Bob yelling. Mr. Purvis said he was at the cooler when this
happened. Mr. Purvis said after he heard the yelling he went back to the lawn chair where
Bob was kneeling on one knee. Mr. Parvis said the wound was about the size of a 22
caliber. Mr. Purvis said he thought maybe Boh had an accident when he was trying to
holster his pistol but after he looked at the wound Mr. Purvis said the angle was wrong
for it to be Mr. Purvis said they had all been in a line oflawn chairs
shooting and he af?rmed that Mr. Miller and Mr. Lieh were to the right ot?Bob at the
time of the incident. Mr. Pnrvis said his chair was to the lett of Mr. Mr. Purvis
described the area they were shooting at as elevator] and they were shooting into a cut
bank. For full details see attached recording.

Larry ()?Dea audiofvideo recorded interview:

(Note: During the interview i noted that i could smell the odor of an alcoholic beverage
coming from his breath, glassy, watery and bloodshot eyes. 1 also noted that Mr. O'Dea
was visibly nervous and shaking during the interview. Prior to the intervicwl noticed Mr.
()?Dea consume a bottle of water and during the interview he also consumed another
bottle of water.) 

informed Mr. O?Dea that I was recording the interview. Mr. O'Dea affirmed that
everyone was shooting in a line from lawn chairs. Mr. O'Dea ?nished the drawing that
Mr. Lieb started of where everyone was sitting while they were shooting. Mr. O'Dea?s
drawing showed he was seated directly next to Bob on the left side. Mr. O?Dea told me he
had stood up, placed his gun on the chair and walked a couple of steps to where Mr.

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P'orvis was and opened a drink. Mr. O'Dea said that is when he heard Bob make a
groaning sound consistent. with (Bob) being in pain. Mr. O'Dea said he turned around and
that is when he witnessed Bob with an empty shoulder holster and Bob was holding his
left side while sitting in his chair. Mr. O'Dea said Bob started saying he had been shot so
he went over to Bob and took off the holster. Mr. ()?Dea said he then started taking off
clothing so he could find the wound. Mr. O'Dca said it appeared to him that maybe Bob
was trying to holster a pistol and accidentally shot himself. Mr. O'Dea said he did not see
a pistol in Bob's hand when he was trying to provide i?irstaidc. For full details see
attached recording.

Brian Carroll audio/video recorded interview:

I informed Mr. Carroll that was recording the conversation. Mr. Carroll informed me
that he was thirty. to forty yards away and did not see anything happen. Mr. Carroll said
he was on the other side ot'his pickup near the tire when he heard the yelling. Mr. Carroll
said he stood up and looked towards Bob noticing Mr. O?Dea standing with Rob. Mr.
Carroll said he went to assist. everyone when he heard the yelling. For full details see
attached recording.

James Miller audio/video recorded interview:

(Note: During the interview I noted that i could smell the odor of an alcoholic beverage
coming from his breath, glassy, watery and hicodshot eyes.)

Mr. Miller said he was located to the right of Bob during the incident and was facing to
the right. when the incident. took place. Mr. Miller said he had been on the end of the line
facing away from the rest of the guys. Mr. Miller said he had been drinking a beer and
eating a sandwich watching for sage rats. Mr. Miller said he stood up and then heard Bob
yell "this is what it feels like to get shot." Mr. Miller said he went over to help and
noticed Bob's pistol in the chair and picked it up and cleared it. Mr. Miller said he helped
Clean out a truck to transport. Bob and then assisted in the transport. During the interview
Mr. Miller said he believed that they were going to stay the night in Fields and probably
leave the next morning. -

(Note: During the interviews John Megan came over to me and informed me he had
spoken with Mr. Dempsey and Dempsey said he did not know how he had been shot in
the, back.) See John Megan's attached report for full details and Body Camera footage.

Ai'ter all of the interviews were done i spoke with everyone as a group. 1 infonned
everyone as a group that their friend had been shot and was being flown to the hospital
with a bullet inside of him. I said if anyone had information about the shooting, i needed
to know about it and no one said anything. i also informed everyone that during the
interviews i could smell the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from almost
everyone?s breath and I suggested that they not drive the vehicles.

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Prior to Lifei'light leaving with the victim I was able to take a few photographs of the
wound-

i asked to see all at the ?reanns that were being shot at the time of the incident and all
individuals were cooperative and retrieved the firearms. I did not seize any of the
?rearms at the time because 1 believed after all ofthe interviews that this was possibly an
accidental discharge, self-in?icted wound. The wound was located on the lower left back
of Mr. Dempsey and if Mr. Dempsey was wearing a shoulder holster on his lel't side the
wound could be consistent with an accidental discharge. i took photographs of all of the
?rearms that were provided to me.

On Fri day 4/22/2016 I contacted Mr. Dempsey and he told me that he was traveling home
and wanted to call me when he arrived home. Later that evenin his wife Sara called and
told me that Mr. Dempsey was heavily medicated and could not talk at that time. i
attempted contact with Mr. Dempsey and left a message on 5/8/2016 and attempted again
on 5/13/2016.

011 Saturday 5/14/2016 1 contacted Robert Dempsey the victim in this case and
conducted an interview. During the interview Mr. Dempsey in'l'brmed me that. Mr. ()?Dea
had been having trouble with his gun throughout the day with jamming, niisfiring and not
feeding. Mr. Dempsey said Mr. ()?Dea put his gun down and went to get something to
drink. Mr. Dempsey said when Mr. O'Dca returned, he picked his gun back up and Mr.
O'Dea accidentally shot him (Mr. Dempsey). Mr. Dempsey said that he did not see Mr.
O'Dea shoot him because he was facing to the right when it happened. Mr. Dempsey
infonned me that his friend Mr. O?Dea called him after the incident and was very

emotional and apologizing [or shooting him. Mr. Dempsey said that is when he feund out

that Mr. O'Dea shot him. Mr. Dempsey said that Mr. O'Dea talked with his bosses and
told them about the incident. Mr. Dempsey did not elaborate on who the bosses were that
Mr. O?Dea had spoken with about the incident.

After receiving the new intonnation from Mr. Dempsey I contacted my supervisors on
Monday 5/ 16/2016 and gave them the inlbt?mation. At this point in the investigation the
Oregon State Poiicc was advised of the situation and asked to assist with the investigation
by Sheri Ff Dave Ward.

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