A Monroe-area woman was shot Sunday afternoon, apparently by neighbors who were engaging in target practice, according to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office.
At about 5:37 p.m. Sunday, April 6, deputies were dispatched to the 27000 block of Reese Creek Road, about five miles northwest of Monroe, in response to a report of a woman with a gunshot wound. Medics from the Monroe and Corvallis Fire Departments also responded.
Gale Fogelstrom, 60, of Monroe, was treated for two gunshot entrance wounds, one to the left side of her lower back and the other on her left buttocks. It appears that the bullets had not exited from the victim, according to a Sheriff’s statement.
On initial assessment, the injuries do not appear to be life threating, the statement said. She was flown to Good Samaritan Hospital by a REACH helicopter.
Deputies investigated the incident and were preliminarily able to determine that Fogelstrom had walked south about half a mile on Reese Creek Road from her residence to get a newspaper from a newspaper box. While walking, she told deputies, she heard about 40 rounds of ammunition being fired, which is fairly common for the area.
As she was walking north, back towards her residence, she was struck by two bullets. Fogelstrom continued to walk down the roadway before being picked up by motorist. She was given a ride to her home where her boyfriend called 9-1-1.
After an initial investigation, deputies spoke to Jeffery Field, 47, and Lena Potter, 37, at 24863 Dawson Road. They told deputies they had been target practicing on their property at the time the victim had reported being shot.
They had been shooting north, down the heavily forested hill. Reese Creek Road is north about 100 yards directly below the hill. They were unaware anyone had been struck by gunfire.
Deputies were able to recover the two handguns and ammunition Field and Potter had been using.
No arrests were made and the investigation is ongoing, the statement said.