Medford, Oregon- A man was critically injured in a shooting Wednesday afternoon near the Bear Creek Greenway in Medford, prompting a swift response from authorities who arrested a suspect within minutes, police said.
The Medford Police Department said it received multiple 911 calls around 1:40 p.m. reporting gunfire near 8th Street. A Community Service Officer patrolling nearby heard the shots and quickly relayed the information to dispatchers.
Responding officers found an adult male suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Medford police, along with Medford Fire and Mercy Flights personnel, rendered immediate medical aid at the scene. The victim was transported to a local hospital before being airlifted to Portland for further treatment. He remains in critical condition. His identity has not been released.
Investigators said witness accounts and initial evidence allowed officers to quickly develop a suspect description. A Medford police detective located the suspect, identified as 38-year-old William K. Triplett, walking near the Medford Center by Tinseltown Theater roughly 15 minutes later. He was detained without incident.
Triplett was interviewed by detectives and booked into the Jackson County Jail on a charge of first-degree assault.
Preliminary findings indicate that the victim and suspect knew each other and had been engaged in a verbal dispute that escalated into a physical altercation and ultimately led to the shooting, police said.
Authorities temporarily closed the area around the scene for evidence collection. It was reopened around 8 p.m.
The investigation remains active. Police are urging anyone with information to contact the Medford Police Department and reference case #25-7557.
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: MPD
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