On July 18, 2017, in Springfield, Oregon, 70-year-old Robert Vaughan was fatally shot by police officers responding to reports of gunfire in his yard. Earlier that day, Vaughan had fired a handgun three times from his property and reportedly told a neighbor he wanted officers to come and kill him.
When officers arrived, Vaughan was inside his residence. He pointed a gun through his kitchen window at the responding officers, prompting three officers to discharge their weapons.
One of the shots struck and killed Vaughan.
Lane County District Attorney Patty Perlow later stated that the officers were justified in using deadly force, indicating that Vaughan 'made the choice that he was going to die that day,' ensuring police would be compelled to act. It was also revealed that Vaughan had attempted suicide less than three weeks prior to the incident.
The officers involved were placed on administrative leave following the shooting but were scheduled to return to duty the following week.
No arrests were made in connection with Vaughan's death, as the investigation concluded that the officers' actions were justified given the circumstances.
