ONTARIO, Oregon — Investigators say two Oregon State Troopers who shot a chase suspect in eastern Oregon were justified in their use of deadly force.
Police say 25-year-old Victor J. Morales Zavala led them on a high-speed interstate chase that started in Canyon County and ended in a confrontation in Ontario. Authorities say Zavala was driving a stolen truck, which they used spike strips to stop.
The Malheur County Sheriff's office report says Zavala stepped out of the truck with a gun, refused to drop it and tried to fire it at his own head, before moving it toward the front of his body.
Two officers fired seven times and hit Zavala four times. Three of the shots were non-fatal wounds. Troopers immediately began life-saving attempts, including the use of special emergency bandages made for gunshot wounds.
