A man from Bend was charged with attempted murder after allegedly shooting another man from Redmond in the face. The suspect surrendered to police in Prineville and was taken to jail in Bend. However, he refused to appear in court.
The victim, Lowell Edward Templeton, 56, drove himself to the St. Charles Redmond ER after the shooting. He was shot with a .40-caliber handgun and suffered life-threatening injuries. He was later flown to Oregon Health and Science University in Portland. Templeton is now recovering and able to communicate.
The suspect, Darron Jay Reece, 36, turned himself in to Prineville police and handed over the handgun used in the shooting. The motive behind the shooting is not clear, and both men lived in RVs, but their relationship is unknown.
Reece is facing four felony charges, including second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon, and felon in possession of a firearm. He was booked into the Bend jail without bail.
During his planned court appearance, Reece refused to participate via video hookup, citing the nature of the charges. The judge agreed to postpone the arraignment to Monday afternoon, as forcibly removing Reece from his cell was deemed unwise.