DA: Fatal officer involved shooting Aug 6 justified

After reviewing the Aug. 6 fatal officer involved shooting in Grants Pass, the Josephine County District Attorney Ryan Mulkins has determined the shooting to be justified by the officers.

It happened at 10:20 a.m at the Oregon State Police Office in Grants Pass as an OSP detective was attempting to secure evidence from Brandon Jones for an investigation in which, they said, Jones had images of child pornography on his cell phone.

The lead-up investigation:

According to a press release by Mulkins issued Tues. Sept 3, in all started in April 2019 a report was made to the Oregon State Police that Brandon Christopher Jones may be in possession of a video on his cellular telephone of Brandon Christopher Jones sexually abusing a male child. Oregon State Police Detective Brendan Quirke was assigned to investigate this report. Oregon State Police Detective Cory Sweet assisted Detective Quirke in his investigation. Detective Quirke contacted Brandon Christopher Jones as part of this investigation, and asked him to come into the Oregon State Police Office in Grants Pass.

Brandon Christopher Jones came to the Grants Pass, Oregon State Police Office on May 10, 2019. Detective Sweet made contact with Brandon Christopher Jones in the parking lot of the Oregon State Police Office on May 10, 2019. Detective Sweet was accompanied by Oregon State Police Detective Ray Stallsworth during this contact with Brandon Christopher Jones. Detective Sweet asked Brandon Christopher Jones if he would allow Detective Sweet to inspect the contents of Brandon Christopher Jones cellular telephone. Brandon Christopher Jones gave Detective Sweet his cellular telephone. Brandon Christopher Jones tells Detectives Sweet and Stallsworth that he swears “to God that [he will] die” before he is sent back to prison. [Brandon Christopher Jones had been previously incarcerated – first for the crime of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, and a second time for Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree].

Brandon Christopher Jones left the Oregon State Police Station in Grants Pass on May 10, 2019 without incident.

In April 2019 Brandon Christopher Jones made statements to his girlfriend that he would have a “shoot out” with the police, and that he would rather die than go back to jail. On August 5, 2019 at approximately 11 PM Brandon Christopher Jones made posts to a Facebook account belonging to Brandon Christopher Jones. This Facebook account of Brandon Christopher Jones was created under the name “Bradon Robin.”

Brandon Christopher Jones at times used the name Brandon Robin. On August 5, 2019 at approximately 11 PM Brandon Christopher Jones posted to his Facebook account a statement to the effect of - that if law enforcement tried to arrest him he would respond violently.

Brandon Christopher Jones’ cellular telephone was searched, pursuant to a search warrant, on June 26, 2019. Images of child pornography were found on Brandon Christopher Jones’ cellular telephone.

The shooting:

The morning of Tuesday, August 6, 2019, Oregon State Police Detective Brendan Quirke contacted Brandon Christopher Jones and asked Brandon Christopher Jones to meet with Detective Quirke at the Oregon State Police Office in Grants Pass.

Brandon Christopher Jones arrives at the Oregon State Police Office in Grants Pass at approximately 10:20 AM. Brandon Christopher Jones is accompanied by a female acquaintance. Detective Quirke makes contact with Brandon Christopher Jones, upon his arrival, in the lobby of station.

Detective Quirke asks Brandon Christopher Jones to accompany him to an interview room so that Detective Quirke can ask Brandon Christopher Jones about what was located on Brandon Christopher Jones’ cellular telephone. Brandon Christopher Jones refused to accompany Detective Quirke and told Detective Quirke that he wanted his cellular telephone to be given back. Detective Quirke told Brandon Christopher Jones that he would not return his cellular telephone. Brandon Christopher Jones then confirms for Detective Quirke that he does not want to speak with him and tells Detective Quirke that he is leaving.

Detective Quirke tells Brandon Christopher Jones that he is not free to leave and that he needs to put his hands behind his back because he is under arrest. Brandon Christopher Jones faces Detective Quirke and clinches his fists. Brandon Christopher Jones throws a punch at Detective Quirke but misses. Detective Quirke says to Brandon Christopher not to fight. Brandon Christopher Jones steps closer and throws a right-handed punch that strikes Detective Quirke in the nose and eye area. Brandon Christopher Jones continues advancing on Detective Quirke.

Detective Quirke grabs ahold of Brandon Christopher Jones in an intent to pin him to the ground. Oregon State Police Detective Cory Sweet comes to the aid of Detective Quirke and tries to assist in getting Brandon Christopher Jones placed in custody. As Detective Quirke and Brandon Christopher Jones are falling to the ground, Brandon Christopher Jones pulls Detective Quirke’s holster and duty weapon from Detective Quirke’s belt. Detective Quirke lands on top of Brandon Christopher Jones on the ground. Detective Quirke yells “he’s grabbing my gun.” Brandon Christopher Jones is actively fighting Detective Quirke and Detective Sweet.

Detective Quirke sees his holstered duty weapon lying on the ground. Detective Quirke reaches for his holstered firearm. Brandon Christopher Jones also reaches for Detective Quirke’s duty weapon. Brandon Christopher Jones gets possession of the gun first. Detective Quirke yells that Brandon Christopher Jones has his gun and advises other officers to shoot Brandon Christopher Jones. Oregon State Police Lieutenant Stephanie Bigman and Oregon State Police Senior Trooper Josh Quick come to assist Detectives Quirke and Sweet. Brandon Christopher Jones is able to pull Detective Quirke’s duty weapon under his body. Detective Quirke reaches under Brandon Christopher Jones body in an attempt to gain control of his duty weapon.

Detective Quirke is able to grab the barrel of his duty weapon. Detective Quirke, Detective Sweet and Brandon Christopher Jones are struggling for Detective Quirke’s duty weapon. Detective Quirke’s duty weapon is in the hand of Brandon Christopher Jones and during the struggle the barrel of Detective Quirke’s duty weapon gets pointed at the face of Detective Quirke. Detective Quirke then pushes the gun down toward the floor. As Detective Quirke and Detective Sweet struggle to gain control of the duty weapon the gun is discharged. Detective Quirke is yelling at his fellow officers to shoot Brandon Christopher Jones. Brandon Christopher Jones is still engaged in a struggle with Detectives Quirke and Sweet.

Oregon State Police Lieutenant Stephanie Bigman fires a round from her duty weapon into the side of Brandon Christopher Jones. Oregon State Police Senior Trooper Josh Quick fires two rounds from his duty weapon into the upper shoulder of Brandon Christopher Jones. Detective Quirke is then able to remove his duty weapon from Brandon Christopher Jones. Brandon Christopher Jones died on scene.

The shooting review:

The District Attorney is charged with the duty of reviewing incidents where deadly physical force is used by police and citizens to determine if the use of force was consistent with Oregon law. Under Oregon law the use of deadly physical force is justified when a person reasonably believes that deadly physical force is being, or is about to be, used against another person.

During this incident Lieutenant Bigman and Senior Trooper Quick were justified in using deadly physical force under the circumstances they encountered. No further action in this matter is anticipated nor merited.

District Attorney Mulkins would like to thank the Josephine County Major Crime Response Team for a thorough and detailed investigation of this event.

A full investigation of the incident was conducted by the Josephine County Major Crime Response Team, an interagency team comprised of detectives and personnel from the Grants Pass Department of Public Safety and the Oregon State Police. The Oregon State Police Crime Lab assisted in the scene investigation.