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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 3, 2017)
Page 12A OFF PAGE ONE East Oregonian Tuesday, October 3, 2017 ANDERSONS: Helped people shot at concert DEPUTY: No charges Continued from 1A As Haak approached, Nelson said he did not expect anyone to be inside. That’s when Hurtado opened the rear passenger door, looked out and pointed a gun at the deputy. Haak quickly fired two rounds, Nelson said. One missed and the other struck Hurtado in the side of the head, dropping him. The bullet, however, did not penetrate the man’s skull. Haak rushed back to his car for cover, Nelson said, called dispatch and waited until other police arrived minutes later. Police approached the SUV, he said, and found Hurtado unconscious with a revolver next to his hand. Nelson confirmed that the investigation followed the Morrow County Sher- iff’s Office protocol for police shootings. That includes waiting at least 48 hours before questioning the officer in-depth and allowing the deputy to have an attorney present. Nelson said he knows the delay is contro- versial among some law enforcement reformers and the practice has come under fire in Portland. Morrow County Sheriff Ken Matlack defended the protocol, explaining an offi- cer’s “excited utterances” at the scene are not always helpful to figure out what happened. Matlack said the best practice in the immediate wake of a traumatic event is to ask an officer questions “for basic clarity,” such as: Are people injured? Should police look for a suspect? Pushing an officer to give details in the moments after a shooting can cloud recol- lections because, he said, “they’re full of adrenalin and full of all the emotions.” The waiting period allows an officer to “decompress,” he said, and provide better information during later questioning. Matlack also said because the shooting involved one of his deputies, he wanted an outside agency to handle the investigation to avoid conflicts of interests. “I can use anybody I afternoon listening to bands such as Big & Rich at the festival. As they waited for Aldean to take the stage, they reveled in the ambiance. “Everyone was happy and dancing and having a wonderful time,” said Elaine by phone on Monday. That would change in an instant. The couple, who sat near the stage, heard a series of pops that punctured the desert night. “We heard what sounded like fire- works,” said Elaine, who is a senior mortgage loan officer at the Guild Mort- gage Company in Pendleton. “Everyone started dropping. Just getting down.” Panic ensued. Elaine started recording video from her position on the ground. She saw people stampeding for the exit or jumping the fence. Kevin, national director of a medical transportation company called Amer- ican Medical Response, started helping the wounded. He went to a 24-year-old off-duty police officer who had been shot in the head, hauled him to safety and started CPR. Elaine aided the man’s wife, who had been shot in the shoulder. Kevin, she said, went back inside multiple times to help other downed audience members. “My husband is a medic who helped save lives,” Elaine said. “He is a hero along with others.” Kevin is quick to shrug off the praise. He simply did what he could in an impossible situation. AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez Police officers guard a roadblock in front of the Luxor and Mandalay Bay resort and casino in the aftermath of a mass shooting on the Las Vegas Strip on Monday. “I’ve been a first responder for over 30 years and never seen anything close to this and probably never will again,” he said. He said he banded together with other off-duty medics and police officers to give aid and get victims to transport in ambulances and private cars. The Andersons had attended the first day of the three-day festival on Friday, watching country singer Eric Church from the right side of the audience. On Sunday, they found spots on the oppo- site side. “On Friday, we sat on the same side as the shooter, the place where most of the people died,” she said. It’s disconcerting to know the difference between life and death is as random as where one sits. The Andersons are still processing. They feel shellshocked and grateful to escape with their lives. Dozens of people, they know, will never go home. “We are the lucky ones,” she said. “Please continue to pray for the families that were not as lucky as we were.” GRAD: Toyota Center seats more than 5,000 Continued from 1A The decision was a contentious one, as many Hermiston residents and even board members raised concerns about moving the ceremony out of the commu- nity. The decision caps a months-long process by district and high school administrators to find a place to house the growing graduating classes, after last year’s record class reduced the number of guest tickets to five. This year, administrators estimated they would only be able to allow four tickets per student. District officials said Monday they also had growing concerns about the safety of the current venue, the Hermiston High School gymnasium, due to the large crowds. The Toyota Center seats more than 5,000 people, and will eliminate the need for tickets. According to numbers published by the district, holding graduation at the Toyota Center would cost about $6,500, while holding it in the gym would cost about $11,000. At September’s meeting, the board was about to make a final decision when Middleton made a count- er-motion, requesting that more data be collected and the issue be looked at in greater detail. That motion won out, and the district conducted another round of surveys, this time focusing on responses from Hermiston High School seniors and their parents. Though many comments reflected residents’ hesitation, the majority still appeared to be in favor of the move — at least temporarily. The most popular option in early surveys, the rodeo arena at Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center was ruled out last month due to what district officials said was a lack of infrastructure and staffing at EOTEC At the time, interim EOTEC manager Nate Rivera said those in charge of the facility would like to be able to host events like graduation in the future, but it was not currently feasible. The decision to move graduation to Kennewick means the ceremony will likely be held on Thursday, June 7 with a tentative start time of 7 p.m. REVENUE: State tax revenue coming this week Continued from 1A personal information. Despite the city’s agree- ment, its marijuana tax revenue won’t stay in the dark forever. As a matter of public record, Carter said the revenue figures will be included in the city’s upcoming audit for the 2016-2017 fiscal year. Additionally, she said the finance department plans to eventually release quarterly finance reports to the city council, which will include marijuana tax revenue in it. Due to the conflict between protecting private information and budgetary records laws, Krawczyk said the Oregon Department of Justice released an opinion on how cities and counties should interpret the disclo- sure rule. The department of revenue is analyzing the rule and expects to start sharing it with localities later this week. Although Carter described the city’s marijuana revenue as “minimal,” it should receive a boost by the end of the week. Cities and counties with legal marijuana sales have thus far only received local tax revenue from the first quarter of the year and no money from the local share of the state tax. By the end of the week, Krawczyk said cities should get all state tax revenue collected since January 2016 and local tax revenue from the second quarter. From then on, Krawczyk said localities will receive revenue disbursements on a quarterly basis. Pendleton projected $25,000 in marijuana revenue in its 2017-2018 budget. It was the only city in Umatilla County to legalize marijuana sales and a local 3 percent tax during the November election. After the city made its own rules and the cannabis market was opened in January, three marijuana dispensaries opened — Kind Leaf Pend- leton in March, Pendleton Cannabis in April and High Desert Cannabis in July. ——— Contact Antonio Sierra at asierra@eastoregonian.com or 541-966-0836. Continued from 1A want and feel is appropriate to investigate this,” he said. Oregon State Police made the most sense, he explained, because the agency is a member of the major crime team for Morrow and Umatilla counties, so those officers responded to the shooting. While state police took the lead, Matlack said the detec- tive still had to adhere to the sheriff’s office plan for investigating the shooting. Nelson said his office has not decided about charging Hurtado, who told police he knew when Haak approaching the vehicle that he was a police officer, but otherwise gave guarded answers. Circuit court records show Hurtado pleaded guilty to methm- phetamine possession in December 2015 in Morrow County and November 2016 in Umatilla County and is serving five years probation, which includes a provision not to possess weapons, firearms or dangerous animals. Matlack said Haak has been on leave during the investigation, per the offi- cer-involved shooting plan, which is in the process of review. The plan does not provide a timeframe for when an officer should return to work after a shooting, Matlack said, while most agencies specify a period of 48 or 72 hours. Matlack said the sheriff’s office is looking to change the period to something like no sooner than 48 hours to create some certainty and line up with other agencies. “He’s ready to come back to work,” Matlack said Monday, “and we’re ready to have him.” Haak, of Heppner, was a parole and probation officer in Morrow County until summer 2016, when he moved into a deputy vacancy at the sheriff’s office. He graduated in January from the basic police course at the Oregon Public Safety Academy, Salem. ——— Contact Phil Wright at pwright@eastoregonian. com or 541-966-0833. THANK YOU to everyone who made the 2017 Umatilla County Fair a fun event for the whole family! and to the many volunteers who gave of their valuable time to help make the 2017 Umatilla County Fair such a success. Volunteering takes a sheer selfl ess sense of wanting to give back to their community. We don't know how we would have done it without you! Volunteers do not donate for the fame. Th ey do not donate for the popularity. Th ey do not want anything in return. Th ey are the best people in this world, and you are very appreciated. Title Sponsor: Premium Platinum Sponsors: Hermiston Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Platinum Sponsors: Dynes Enterprises • Eastern Oregon Telecom • Hodgen Distributing • Ranch & Home • Rogers Toyota of Hermiston Gold Sponsors: Agri Northwest • Banner Bank • EOTEC • Fiesta Foods • Express Employment Services • East Oregonian/Hermiston Herald • Tom Denchel Ford Country • Swire Coca-Cola • Uni-Tech Communications, Inc. • Th reemile Canyon Farms • RDO Equipment Co. Silver Sponsors: with Teddy k l a T A Presented by Um a ti l la Cou nty r ica l So ciety o t s i H Heritage Dinner 2017 at Hamley’s Slickfork Saloon Tuesday, October 10, 5:00 pm Treat yourself to a dramatic and engaging evening with the 26th President of the United States! Joe Weigand, the nation’s fore- most interpreter of Teddy Roosevelt, offers a vivid and rousing one-man theater experience, sharing stories about Ted- dy that are full of adventure, laughter and inspiration. Tickets: $50 UCHS Members; $55 General Admission. Available at Heritage Station Museum. A catered dinner is included and no-host bar offered. Elmer’s Irrigation • Family Health Associates • Good Shepherd Health Care System • Les Schwab Tire Center • Midway Bar & Grill • Pendleton Bottling Co. • Lost Valley Farm • Th ird Day Creations • Umatilla Electric Co-Op • St. Anthony Hospital • Hagerman, Inc • M & M Potato Bronze Sponsors: A-1 Industrial Hose & Supply • Dodge Logging • G.F.I. • High Performance Signs • Idapro • Intermountain ESD • Oregon Beverage Services • Umatilla County Cattlesman • TCB Transportation, LLC • Mid Columbia Bus Co. • Th ompson RV • DuPont Pioneer Seed Copper Sponsors: All American Heating & Cooling • Bennett Trucking • Blue Mountain Potato Growers & Oregon Potato Commission • Cascade Agronomics • Cenex Harvest States • Circle C Equipment • Hill Meat Co. • Golden Valley Farms • Oregon Grain Growers Distillery • Oregon Lamb • EOM Construction • Pro-Build • Riverpoint Farms • Tarp-It • Tyson Foods • Mike Hawman Farms • Benton Franklin County Fair • Boardman Navy • Bonney’s Ag • Buttercreek Equipment • City of Hermiston • Dynapac • Eastern Oregon Mobile Slaughter • Doug Farenbacher • Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints • S & S Equipment • Shelco, Inc. • G-2 • United Rentals • Coastal Farm & Ranch Challenge of Champions • Umatilla County Fair Youth Livestock Auction WE COULDN’T DO IT WITHOUT ALL OF YOU!
