Staff
Two Linn County Sheriff’s deputies were justified in using deadly force in a March 25 incident, District Attorney Doug Marteeny announced during a press conference Friday, April 29, at the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the DA’s report, Senior Deputy Ryan Keys and Deputy Kenneth Pyle both shot at Brian Eller after he fired at them.
The incident happened at the end of a car chase that started in the K-Mart parking lot in Albany, went onto I-5 and stopped at Seven Mile Lane.
“Eller drove his truck through a field near the corner of Saddle Butte Road and Seven Mile Lane,” Marteeny said.
When his truck got stuck after crossing a ditch, Eller and his wife Kimberly Eller, who was a passenger in the truck, “scrambled out of the truck and began running towards a large orchard.”
Pyle tackled Kimberly Eller and took her gun away from her.
Brian Eller shot at Keys with a Glock 9 mm automatic handgun, as Keys was getting ready to use a taser on him.
Keys crouched and hid behind a small tree and returned fire, Marteeny said. Pyle also shot at Brian Eller. They were about 10 to 15 yards away from Eller.
“And just for an illustration of the distance of what that would like, basically it’s from where I stand to the back of this room,” Marteeny said. “That’s how close that is.”
“I believe their training along with sound judgment allowed them to go home safely that night to their families,” Sheriff Bruce Riley said. “And I would be remiss under these circumstances that you’ve seen, if I didn’t share that I believe there was an act of providence involved in this outcome as well.”
Riley talked about the dangers officers face on a daily basis, though they are just normal men and women.
“They strap a bulletproof vest on hoping it never gets hit,” Riley said. “They strap a gun belt on, hoping they never use the gun. But every day they go about their job, keeping their community safe. So I would just encourage you, the next time you see one, or have interaction with one, just to walk up and tell them thanks for the difficult job they do.”
Brian Eller was critically injured and charges are pending.
Kimberly Eller has been charged with four counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle.