Corvallis Police shot and killed a 32-year-old Philomath man early Saturday morning at the Days Inn Hotel on NW 9th Street.
According to a Corvallis PD release, a hotel employee called police at 3:39 a.m. Saturday, April 3, to report a man trespassing on the property, acting aggressively, and trying to get into guests’ rooms. Police say when they arrived, they found Jeffrey W. Appelt armed with a knife.
In a statement, CPD said “shortly thereafter, officers from the Corvallis Police Department were involved in an officer involved shooting. Emergency medical aid was rendered to the suspect, but the suspect was pronounced deceased at the scene. The deceased is a 32-year-old Philomath resident.”
CPD said the involved officers have been placed on administrative leave as is standard for shootings involving police officers.
Investigation into the incident is on-going. The investigation is being led by Albany Police Department with the assistance of the Benton County Major Crimes Team.
UPDATE:
On Saturday evening, Corvallis Police released body camera footage and an updated statement with the following narrative of the incident:
On 4-03-21 at approximately 0339 hours, Corvallis Police Department officers responded to a report of a male trespassing in the Days Inn Hotel at 1113 NW 9th Street. A hotel employee told Dispatchers the male was acting in an aggressive manner and trying to get into guests’ rooms. One officer contacted the male, later identified as Jeffery W. Appelt, just outside the hotel entrance. Appelt threatened to kill the officer and appeared to remove something from his pocket. Video evidence showed Appelt raise his hand and come towards the officer.
The officer turned, ran in the opposite direction and put space between he and Appelt. Appelt chased after the officer, still holding something in his hand, and threatened to kill the officer multiple times. While distancing himself from Appelt, the officer drew his less-lethal taser and fired at Appelt. Appelt turned away from the officer and went back toward the hotel entrance. The officer yelled out and over his radio that Appelt had a knife. A second officer attempted to take Appelt into custody as he was re-entering the hotel, but Appelt used physical force to escape. He fled west, where a third officer just pulled into the parking lot.
The third officer’s video showed Appelt holding a knife and aggressively advancing toward the third officer who was standing near his patrol vehicle. Appelt yelled to the third officer, “Do you want to die? Do you want to die?” This officer ordered Appelt to drop the knife multiple times. Appelt continued to advance toward the officer while holding the knife. When Appelt came in close proximity to the officer, and his open patrol vehicle in which there was a loaded AR15- rifle and shotgun, the third officer fired his pistol. Appelt was struck multiple times.
Law Enforcement immediately provided life saving measures until Corvallis Fire medics arrived minutes later, but Appelt was pronounced dead at the scene. Two knives were later recovered from the scene. Eye witnesses present at the scene corroborated the video evidence.
Copyright 2021, KLCC
