BEND, OR -- More than a dozen Oregon State Police vehicles, including an armored vehicle, were seen speeding out of Bend Monday evening, heading north out of Central Oregon. Lt. Bill Fugate says units were dispatched to an emergency call in Enterprise, just before 7 p.m.
A man had reportedly used a chainsaw to break into his girlfriend's home in the small town located east of La Grande. Local law enforcement reported he had a rifle and had fired multiple rounds. Lt. Fugate says, for many rural communities, OSP is the only option for a tactical response. However, during Monday's incident, all of the specialty troopers were in Bend for a training, more than six hours from Enterprise.
Lt. Fugate says about half of the team, including an armored vehicle, sped to the area with full lights and sirens, arriving in Enterprise within four or five hours. Local law enforcement was able to control the situation, and the OSP team was canceled just as they arrived.