Police shooting: Department loses a third of staff to administrative leave

By Don Murtha

Mount Angel’s Police Department has gone from having six officers and a police chief to four officers and a chief.

Two officers were placed on paid administrative leave on June 16 after a non-fatal shooting incident June 15 in Mount Angel.

Mount Angel Police Officer Steven McDonough, 28, shot Lloyd Howard Schafer following a high speed chase after an attempted traffic stop, according to Marion County Sheriff’s Office. Officer Jeff Charpilloz was also at the scene.

Marion County Sheriff’s spokesman Don Thomson said the officers attempted to pull Schafer over for an unspecified traffic violation but Schafer continued driving.

According to reports, the chase continued through Mount Angel until Schafer left his vehicle on South Sheridan Street to escape on foot.

In conformity with Senate Bill 1111, the Homicide Assault Response Team (HART) and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case because it involves an officer shooting a suspect.

All inquiries are being directed to the sheriff’s office with Thomson as spokesman.

The two officers will remain on paid administrative leave until the Grand Jury has completed its investigation. They will be provided counseling to assure that they are emotionally fit to return to the job.

“It can be emotionally stressful when an officer has to shoot at someone,” Thomson said.

He said there is no report yet on why the officer fired. While the Mount Angel Police Department is missing a third of its staff, Thomson said it will depend on overtime, police reserves and other agencies to fill in.

“Any time you’re down (officers) you call in other agencies,”  Thomson said. “The chief will have to make the call any time he feels he needs outside help.”

Mount Angel Police Chief Mike Healy was recently appointed to a two-year term after serving as interim chief following the resignation of Chief Brent Earhart.

McDonough is a two-year veteran of the Mount Angel Police Force and Charpilloz has been with the department for 12 years.

Schafer was flown to OHSU hospital with wounds in his hip and arm. He has been released from the hospital and is not in jail at this time, Thomson said.

Thomson said this is “definitely not” the first time Schafer has been involved with the police.

Schafer’s record includes convictions for assault, burglary and unlawful use of a weapon, according to public records.