This morning, Medford Police say that the Rogue Valley Mall carnival shooting investigation continues and detectives are making solid ground. Still no suspects in custody, and the victim remains hospitalized in stable condition.
Police say these cases can take time, as many of those involved in the confrontation, fled the scene. MPD had an officer at the north mall entrance at the time of the shooting, who responded before the call was even dispatched over the air. In-spite of this fast response, it was very difficult to ascertain who was fleeing the scene for safety, or because of their involvement, or both.
Although the investigation is still underway, police believe gang affiliation played a role, and as mentioned earlier, involving almost all juveniles. Authorities say that gang activity in the valley ebbs and flows over the years, but we are not seeing a “spike” in this type of behavior.
However, parents need to be aware about knowing the signs of gang involvement, and not downplaying if your child is wearing predominately one color, for example. Also, if you have property that is getting tagged with graffiti, police ask you to remove it as quickly as possible.
Courtesy of MPD
