Grand Jury Clears Medford Officer in Hawthorne Park Shooting

Medford, Oregon- A Jackson County Grand Jury has found that Medford Police Officer David Leal was legally justified in using deadly force during a July 4 confrontation with Salvador Sanchez at Hawthorne Park. The same grand jury also returned an indictment against Sanchez, 55, on multiple felony charges related to the incident.

The shooting occurred at approximately 8 a.m. on the park’s south side, when Officer Ethan Sampson identified Sanchez as a subject with an active arrest warrant. When contacted, Sanchez denied having a warrant and attempted to walk away, stating he wasn’t going to jail.

According to testimony presented to the grand jury, during the interaction Sanchez reached into a reusable shoulder bag. Officer Sampson, concerned for his safety, drew his firearm to a low-ready position and gave repeated commands for Sanchez to remove his hand. Sanchez then produced a large 10- to 12-inch knife from the bag. Officer Sampson radioed that the suspect was armed, and began giving commands to drop the weapon while backing away.

Officer David Leal, responding to the call, arrived on scene moments later. He recognized Sanchez from a prior incident in which the suspect had been aggressive and resistant to law enforcement, even withstanding multiple taser deployments. As Sanchez continued to approach Sampson with the knife, Leal also gave commands and attempted to transition to less-lethal force. However, Sanchez suddenly turned his focus on Leal and advanced quickly toward him with the knife.

Officer Leal “tried to move back for several paces, giving commands again for Mr. Sanchez to drop the knife,” the report stated. “When Mr. Sanchez refused to do so and continued to come aggressively toward him, Officer Leal fired three rounds in quick succession at Mr. Sanchez, believing that there was no longer time to safely attempt to utilize his taser, and believing that Mr. Sanchez posed an imminent threat of death or serious physical injury to him in that moment.”

Sanchez was struck once in the abdomen and immediately fell to the ground. Officers provided emergency medical care until Mercy Flights transported Sanchez to the hospital, where he remains in stable condition.

The grand jury reviewed testimony from both officers, as well as video footage from body-worn cameras and a patrol car dashcam. A use-of-force expert also testified, explaining the lethal threat posed by a knife-wielding suspect at close range and the rapid decision-making required of officers in such situations.

After reviewing the evidence, the grand jury concluded Officer Leal’s actions were lawful under Oregon statute ORS 161.242, which permits deadly force when an officer reasonably believes there is an imminent threat of death or serious injury, and no less-lethal option is safely available.

In addition to clearing Officer Leal, the grand jury indicted Sanchez on the following charges:

• Attempted Assault in the First Degree

• Two counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon

• Resisting Arrest

• Attempted Escape in the Second Degree

The case was presented to the grand jury by Jackson County District Attorney Patrick Green and Chief Deputy District Attorney Alyssa Claseman. The investigation was led by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Oregon State Police.

Due to the ongoing criminal proceedings, the District Attorney’s Office indicated that no further evidence or comment would be released at this time.