Oregon DOJ Completes Review of Jefferson County Deadly Force Case, Finds No Criminal Charges Warranted

The Oregon Department of Justice (DOJ) today announced the conclusion of an investigation related to the use of deadly force by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s office, which resulted in the death of Allan Dale Warner, Jr. on February 20, 2025.

After a thorough investigation led by the Bend Police Department, the DOJ has concluded that law enforcement’s use of force is not subject to criminal prosecution. A letter to Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz explaining the decision may be found here. » The role of the DOJ prosecutors was solely to determine whether the involved officers’ conduct warranted criminal charges; questions regarding matters that are civil or administrative in nature were beyond the scope of the investigation.

Attorney General Dan Rayfield thanked the Bend Police Department and all members of the Central Oregon Major Incident Team for their efforts in conducting the investigation.