On April 4, 2024, a fatal shooting incident occurred at Wallace Marine Park in Salem, Oregon, resulting in the death of 29-year-old Charley Allen Hodges and the injury of a 25-year-old man. The incident began with a dispute over a missing bag containing weapons at a homeless campsite in the park. Arlie Calvin Michael Thompson, aged 23, had been drinking with a friend at the park and later discovered that their bag was missing.
Thompson returned to the park around 3:00 a.m., armed with a pistol, and confronted the residents of the camp, demanding the return of his belongings. He held a 25-year-old man at gunpoint, leading to a conviction for kidnapping.
During the confrontation, Hodges, who was armed with a shotgun, intervened to protect the kidnapped man and told Thompson to stop being disrespectful. The situation escalated when Hodges, holding a knife in each hand, charged at Thompson. Witnesses attempted to de-escalate the situation, but Thompson backed into berry bushes and threatened to shoot. He then fired his gun, hitting both Hodges and the 25-year-old man. Hodges died from his injuries, while the other man suffered a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to his shoulder.
Thompson was arrested by a Salem Police SWAT team approximately 12 hours after the shooting, following a search warrant executed at his residence in the 4800 block of Northstar CT NE in Hayesville.
Thompson was initially charged with second-degree murder, first-degree attempted murder, first-degree kidnapping, and unlawful use of a weapon. However, as part of a plea deal, he pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter, first-degree kidnapping, and first-degree assault. On November 15, 2024, Thompson was sentenced to 25 years in prison with three years of post-prison supervision by Polk County Circuit Judge Norman Hill.
At the sentencing hearing, Thompson expressed deep remorse for his actions, acknowledging that his decisions led to the tragic death of Charley Allen Hodges. He apologized to Hodges' family, stating that he understood the irreparable harm he had caused and that he would carry the guilt of his actions for the rest of his life.
