Klamath Falls, Oregon

From the Klamath Falls Herald and News of August 6, 2006

Attacker shot and killed

A Klamath Falls man was shot dead Saturday by one of three men he reportedly attacked and stabbed.

Edward Benny Valdez Jr., 36, died at 5545 Summers Lane at around 11:30 a.m., said Klamath County District Attorney Ed Caleb. Valdez reportedly stabbed Ricky Hargrove, 51, William Hargrove, 80, and William Sorahan, age unknown, then was allegedly shot twice in the chest with a shotgun by Ricky Hargrove.

Ricky Hargrove was the dead man's uncle, William Hargrove his great-uncle.

Klamath County Sheriff's deputies responded to the 911 call for a shooting and when they arrived, they found Valdez dead in the dirt driveway at that address, Caleb said.

The three stabbing victims had already been transported to Merle West Medical Center. As of Saturday evening, William Hargrove was listed in fair condition and Ricky Hargrove and William Sorahan were being treated in the emergency room - their conditions were unavailable.

The county's Major Crime Team was called in to investigate, and they questioned family and friends at the house at 5545 Summers Lane, where William Hargrove lives, and the house next door, 5543 Summers Lane, occupied by Ricky Hargrove. Caleb said authorities then discovered Valdez had gone to one of the homes that morning where he “began acting erratically and in a threatening manner.”

Caleb said authorities believe after a preliminary investigation that Valdez stabbed his uncle's father, William Hargrove and Sorahan at the home. Sorahan was visiting his friend at the time.

Then, Valdez allegedly went next door and stabbed Ricky Hargrove. Valdez was going back to the other home, but, authorities believe, Ricky Hargrove had followed Valdez and shot him, Caleb said.

Investigators had not determined a motive for the stabbings, Caleb said.

“I think we're going to take the case to grand jury and see what the grand jury thinks,” Caleb said of the possibility of charges or whether Ricky Hargrove acted in self defense.

Anti-gunners will likely count this as "Family member killed by firearms."

From the Klamath Falls Herald and News of August 15, 2006

Grand jury decides for self-defense in shooting

A Klamath Falls man fatally shot his nephew in self-defense and will not face any charges, a Klamath County Grand Jury determined Monday.

“They felt he was justified in the shooting,” said District Attorney Ed Caleb.

Caleb, who said 51-year-old Ricky Hargrove's actions against Eddie Valdez Jr., 36, fell into the realm of legal self-defense, brought the case to the grand jury to see what its members thought.

The pool of jurors selected to review potential felony cases found Hargrove feared for his own life and the life of his 14-year-old daughter, who lives with him. This constituted a right to use deadly physical force, Caleb said.

On Aug. 5, authorities said Hargrove's nephew, Valdez, first went to the home of his grandfather, William Hargrove, 80, who lives at 5545 Summers Lane, “in an erratic and threatening manner.” Valdez then wielded a knife and stabbed William Hargrove and Hargrove's friend, Warren Sorahan, before going next door to Ricky Hargrove's home.

After stabbing Ricky Hargrove, Valdez apparently went back next door when Ricky Hargrove shot Valdez twice with a shotgun. Valdez died at the scene.

The three victims were taken to Merle West Medical Center. Ricky Hargrove and Warren Sorahan were treated and released shortly after. William Hargrove was discharged last Friday.

Investigators did not determine a motive for the stabbings. But they believe there's a correlation between Valdez's known drug use and his outburst.

In 1995, Valdez was convicted of possession of a controlled substance, and in 2001, he was convicted of attempted second-degree assault, court records show.