The Curry County District Attorney’s Office released information regarding the investigation of the fatal officer involved shooting of Justin Ruddell which occurred in the early morning of December 10th, 2022. The Thursday afternoon press release also revealed that a grand jury panel, consisting of seven Curry County citizens drawn by the court at random from the pool of jurors, had been convened and presented evidence regarding the December 10th shooting incident.
The grand jurors heard testimony from the involved officers, Deputy State Medical Examiner and scene investigators, and were presented the evidence collected in the case including, but not limited to, photographs, bodycam videos and testimony of involved investigators and involved officers.
The investigation into the death of Justin Ruddell was led by the Oregon State Police in cooperation with the Curry County District Attorney’s Office.
The Grand Jury heard that at approximately 12:45am, on December 10th, 2022, an officer for the Brookings Police Department was on routine patrol in the City of Brookings. Justin Ruddell of Grants Pass, driving a 1997 Toyota 4Runner, was traveling at a high rate of speed northbound, in the southbound lane towards the Brookings officer on Highway 101 near Harris Beach State Park.
The Brookings officer, had to swerve to avoid a collision in his patrol vehicle, causing the officer to turn around and initiate a traffic stop on Mr. Ruddell’s vehicle. Mr. Ruddell continued at a high rate of speed eluding the officer, turning onto Carpenterville Road off Hwy. 101. Mr. Ruddell continued on Carpenterville Road for approximately 2 miles before stopping his vehicle in the roadway and backing up towards the officer’s patrol vehicle.
After almost colliding with the officer’s vehicle, Mr. Ruddell then continued driving for a short distance before again backing up at a high rate of speed towards the officer’s patrol vehicle. The officer reversed his vehicle trying to escape being struck by Mr. Ruddell’s 4Runner, but given the stormy conditions that night, the roadway dropping off steeply on one side and the possibility that Mr. Ruddell’s vehicle would either come in the windshield and crush the officer or cause his airbag to deploy, the officer made the decision to fire his weapon through his windshield at the oncoming 4Runner.
This caused Mr. Ruddell to stop the 4Runner in the middle of the roadway. The officer then exited his patrol vehicle and took up a defensive position as the only officer on-scene at that time. Mr. Ruddell exited his vehicle, coming around the back of the 4Runner into the officer’s view, holding a flashlight and battery pack taped together to look like a firearm, and pointed it at the officer. Mr. Ruddell advanced towards the officer from a short distance causing the officer to fire his weapon at Mr. Ruddell, striking him multiple times.
A second officer from the Brookings Police Department arrived on-scene shortly after the first shots were fired by the initial officer. The second officer saw Mr. Ruddell advancing towards the first officer pointing the mock firearm at the first officer. The second officer exited his vehicle and fired multiple shots at Mr. Ruddell. Mr. Ruddell went to the ground where officers started to render aid once the scene was safe to do so.
Paramedics arrived within 15 minutes and transported Mr. Ruddell to the Emergency Room at Curry Medical Center in Brookings. Mr. Ruddell succumbed to his injuries a short time later and was pronounced deceased at 1:56am.
The Curry County Major Crime Team was called to the scene with the investigation being led by the Oregon State Police. The investigation included detectives from Central Point, Roseburg and Coos Bay along with forensic scientists from the Oregon State Police Forensic Laboratory dispatched to the scene. An autopsy of Mr. Ruddell was performed by the Deputy State Medical Examiner in Central Point who determined the cause of death to be multiple gunshot wounds
After being presented with the evidence collected in the case, and following deliberations, the grand jurors voted and determined unanimously that the actions of the involved officers were justified and lawful under Oregon law. The grand jury has completed its review of this case and will take no further action.
