Tuesday afternoon June 9th, just before 4:30pm, officers were dispatched to a criminal mischief call in progress at a motel room at the Rogue Valley Inn after a male threw a rock through a window, covering the occupant and her two young children with glass.
When responding units arrived on scene, the male was no longer there. The suspect, identified as 22 year old Shannon Robello, was known to the victim from a previous relationship together.
Officers could not find the suspect, but a caller reported the suspect returned to the motel just before 6:00am, and was again breaking more windows with rocks.
A witness tried to intervene, but the suspect assaulted him by punching him and then kicking him while the victim was on the ground. After the assault, the suspect menaced the victim with a knife. The 57 year old victim was injured and sought medical attention on his own.
Officers spotted the suspect in Hawthorne Park just before 6:30am, but he was inside of a fenced compound which protects equipment, near Bear Creek. As officers approached, he produced a handgun and threatened to kill himself.
Jackson County Mental Health employees responded to assist, as well as Medford Police Crisis Negotiators. Negotiators and Mental Health practitioners were able to communicate with the suspect, who refused to put the gun down and surrender.
Numerous de-escalation tactics were deployed throughout the event as the suspect continued to hold the gun, often times to his head, and was believed to be under the influence of drugs. In spite of the efforts, negotiations were not going in a positive direction, and the suspect was becoming more volatile.
At one point during the negotiations, the suspect put the gun down and walked a short distance from it. At 11:06am, a police K9, followed by MPD officers, rushed into the compound via a hole in the fence. The team took the suspect into custody before he could get access to his firearm.
The handgun, as well as a knife were recovered from the scene. The suspect sustained minor injuries from a dog bite. He was cited, released to the hospital and placed on a mental health hold.
