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Klamath County Sheriff's Office

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Klamath County Sheriff's Office

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The official Klamath County Sheriff Office page. To see other information please visit our website at http://klamathcounty.org/291/Sheriffs-Office.

10/28/2026

WINTER WEATHER IS COMING — ARE YOU PREPARED?

KLAMATH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE — WINTER SAFETY REMINDER

As temperatures begin to drop and winter approaches, the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind everyone to take a few simple precautions to stay safe during the upcoming winter months.

Here in Klamath County, winter weather can change quickly. Snow, ice, freezing temperatures, and reduced visibility can create dangerous conditions, especially for those traveling through our rural and mountainous areas.

PREPARE YOUR VEHICLE
• Check your tires, brakes, battery, windshield wipers, and antifreeze.
• Make sure your vehicle has adequate fuel before traveling.
• Keep tire chains or appropriate traction devices available.
• Carry an emergency kit containing blankets, warm clothing, food, water, a flashlight, and a first-aid kit.
• Keep a phone charger in your vehicle.
• Clear all snow and ice from your windows, mirrors, headlights, and taillights before driving.

PREPARE YOUR HOME
• Make sure your heating system is working properly.
• Keep extra food, drinking water, medications, and emergency supplies on hand.
• Protect exposed pipes from freezing.
• Have flashlights, batteries, and an alternative heat source available in case of a power outage.
• Never operate generators, grills, or outdoor heating equipment inside your home or garage due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Check on elderly neighbors, family members, and anyone who may need additional assistance.

WHEN TRAVELING DURING WINTER WEATHER
• Check road and weather conditions before leaving.
• Slow down and increase your following distance.
• Avoid unnecessary travel during severe winter storms.
• Let someone know your travel plans and expected arrival time, especially when traveling in remote areas.
• Remember that cell phone coverage is limited or nonexistent in many parts of Klamath County.
• If you become stranded, remain with your vehicle unless staying there presents an immediate danger. Call 911 if you need emergency assistance.

A SPECIAL REMINDER FOR OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES
Many areas of Klamath County experience significant snowfall, icy roads, and extended response times during severe winter weather. Residents in remote communities should plan ahead and maintain enough essential supplies to remain safely at home for several days if roads become impassable.

Our deputies will continue responding to calls for service throughout the winter. However, hazardous road conditions can affect travel and emergency response times.
A LITTLE PREPARATION TODAY CAN PREVENT AN EMERGENCY TOMORROW.
The Klamath County Sheriff's Office encourages everyone to look out for one another, drive responsibly, and take winter weather seriously.

For current Oregon road conditions, visit www.tripcheck.com.

For emergencies, dial 911.
Klamath County Sheriff's Office Non-Emergency: 541-883-5130
Stay safe, stay prepared, and help us keep Klamath County safe this winter!

10/27/2026

KLAMATH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE — SHOOTING INVESTIGATION

October 26, 2026 | Klamath Falls, Oregon

On October 26, 2026, at approximately 5:21 p.m., deputies with the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported shooting at the Holliday Motel, located at 3837 Highway 39.

Upon arrival, deputies determined that 25-year-old Ethan Kammerer had sustained a gunshot wound. Kammerer was transported to Sky Lakes Medical Center for medical treatment, where he remains in critical condition.

As a result of the investigation, deputies arrested 25-year-old Zander Snider, who was lodged at the Klamath County Jail on the following charges:

● Assault in the Second Degree
● Unlawful Use of a Weapon
● Recklessly Endangering Another Person

The investigation remains active and ongoing.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office at 541-883-5130.

The Klamath County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to thoroughly investigating violent crimes and protecting the safety of our community.

All individuals arrested are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Klamath County Sheriff’s Office

09/17/2026

This subject has been located and is ok. He is of no further interest.

09/15/2026

Man Arrested Following Shooting on Arthur Street

On Sunday, September 13, 2026, shortly before 6:00 p.m., deputies with the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 1500 block of Arthur Street in Klamath Falls following a report of shots fired. Officers from the Klamath Falls Police Department assisted with the response.

Klamath County Fire District 1 personnel were already at the residence providing medical care to an injured woman when an altercation occurred between two men at the residence. Fire and medical personnel separated the individuals and requested law enforcement assistance. The injured woman was subsequently transported by ambulance to Sky Lakes Medical Center for treatment.

As the remaining fire personnel were leaving the residence, 50-year-old Lance Bennett allegedly exited the residence and fired a handgun in the direction of the other man involved in the dispute. The fired round struck an occupied Klamath County Fire District 1 apparatus, causing damage to the vehicle. Fortunately, no firefighters were reported injured as a result of the gunfire.

Following the investigation, Klamath County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Bennett on the following charges:

• Four counts of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree
• Unlawful Use of a Weapon
• Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree
• Criminal Mischief in the First Degree

Bennett was lodged in the Klamath County Jail pending arraignment. Investigators have also referred additional potential charges to the Klamath County District Attorney’s Office for review.

The Klamath County Sheriff’s Office would like to recognize the personnel from Klamath County Fire District 1 and the Klamath Falls Police Department for their assistance and professionalism during this incident.

This incident remains under investigation. No additional information is being released at this time.

An arrest is not a conviction. All persons accused of a crime are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

09/13/2026

Today, on Police Woman’s Day, the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office is proud to recognize the women who serve our agency and the many women serving in law enforcement across our community and our nation.

The women of KCSO serve in a variety of roles throughout our organization, bringing professionalism, leadership, strength, compassion, and dedication to the people of Klamath County. Every day, they contribute to the safety of our community, support their fellow employees, and help shape the future of the law enforcement profession.

We are incredibly proud of the women who wear the KCSO uniform and those who serve alongside us throughout the law enforcement community. Your commitment, courage, and service make our agency and our community stronger.

Thank you for the difference you make every day.

09/11/2026

STOLEN FIRE COMMAND VEHICLE RECOVERED FOLLOWING PURSUIT — SUSPECT ARRESTED

Shortly after 9:00 a.m. this morning, law enforcement agencies throughout the Klamath Basin were alerted that a Klamath County Fire District #1 command vehicle had been stolen from Station 4 near Campus Drive and Shallock Avenue in Klamath Falls.

The vehicle, equipped with emergency lights, firefighting equipment, radios, and GPS tracking, was soon reported by citizens to be traveling at a high rate of speed and being driven recklessly, creating a significant danger to the public, including motorists and workers in active highway construction zones.

The driver, later identified as Joseph McVeigh of Vida, Oregon, led Klamath County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Oregon State Police troopers on a pursuit through southeastern Klamath County. The pursuit ended near Malin after spike strips were successfully deployed, disabling the stolen vehicle. McVeigh was taken into custody.

As the investigation continued, deputies determined McVeigh was also the suspect in a serious arson and burglary that had occurred earlier in the morning at the AMA Gas Station on Highway 97 North.

McVeigh is alleged to have forcibly entered the business, caused extensive damage inside, and then intentionally poured gasoline on a fuel pump and set it on fire. Deputies responding to that incident were able to extinguish the fire before it could spread further, but the suspect had fled prior to their arrival and could not initially be located.

McVeigh was arrested and lodged at the Klamath County Jail on charges including:

• Arson I
• Burglary II
• Aggravated Theft I — 2 counts
• Criminal Mischief I
• Felony Attempt to Elude
• Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle
• Recklessly Endangering Another Person
• Reckless Driving
• Driving While Suspended — Misdemeanor

The Klamath County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the citizens who quickly reported the stolen vehicle and dangerous driving, as well as the public safety partners whose coordinated response helped bring this incident to a safe conclusion.

Assisting agencies included the Oregon State Police, Klamath Falls Police Department, Malin Police Department, Merrill Police Department, Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles and Klamath County 9-1-1.

What began as an arson and burglary investigation quickly developed into the theft of an emergency response vehicle and a dangerous pursuit across Klamath County. The cooperation between responding agencies, along with information provided by members of the public, was instrumental in safely apprehending the suspect and recovering critical emergency response equipment.

All criminal charges are allegations. McVeigh is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

09/02/2026

WRIGHTS SPRING FIRE UPDATE – SEPTEMBER 1, 2026

ALL REMAINING EVACUATION LEVELS HAVE RETURNED TO NORMAL

With containment of the Wrights Spring Fire now at 95%, combined with higher humidity levels and increased confidence in forecasted precipitation, all remaining evacuation levels are being returned to NORMAL.

While evacuation levels have been lifted, the fire remains an active incident. Fire crews will continue working in the area for the foreseeable future, including patrolling fire lines, monitoring interior pockets of unburned fuels, and repairing roadways and fire breaks impacted by suppression activities.

The public is asked to refrain from traveling into the fire area unless necessary. If you must be in the area, please use caution and remain alert for firefighters, heavy equipment, and other emergency personnel working on and near roadways.

FOREST CLOSURE REMAINS IN EFFECT

The Fremont-Winema National Forest closure order for the affected area remains in effect. The return to normal evacuation status does not lift or modify the U.S. Forest Service closure.

We appreciate the cooperation and patience of residents and the public throughout this incident, as well as the continued hard work of all personnel assigned to the Wrights Spring Fire.

Klamath County Sheriff’s Office

09/01/2026

***** Scam Alert *****

Today, a citizen came into the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office after receiving a suspicious text message from someone claiming to represent the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The scammer sent images of what appeared to be an official FTC badge and credentials and claimed they were trying to help the citizen “secure” their financial accounts. The scammer asked about banking information and then instructed the citizen to go to Fred Meyer and move their money into cryptocurrency.

Fortunately, the citizen became suspicious and came to the Sheriff’s Office for help before any money was transferred.

PLEASE REMEMBER:

Scammers can send convincing photographs of badges, credentials, identification cards, warrants, and other official-looking documents. A picture of a badge or credential does not prove someone is a government official.

Be extremely suspicious if someone claiming to be from a government agency, law enforcement agency, or financial institution:

• Asks for your banking or financial information.

• Tells you your money is in danger and needs to be “secured.”

• Directs you to withdraw or transfer money.

• Tells you to purchase cryptocurrency or use a cryptocurrency ATM.

• Requests payment through gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, or similar methods.

• Pressures you to act immediately or tells you not to speak with anyone else.

Government agencies will not instruct you to move your money into cryptocurrency to keep it safe.

If something doesn’t feel right, STOP. Don’t send money and don’t provide personal or banking information. Independently contact the agency, your financial institution, or local law enforcement using a verified phone number.

In this case, the citizen did exactly the right thing, they became suspicious, stopped communicating with the scammer, and sought help before losing any money.

No legitimate federal law enforcement agency, FBI, FTC, DEA, U.S. Marshals, Secret Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, etc., will send you a photo of a badge or credentials to prove they’re real. This is one of the most common and well-documented impersonation scams.

What the agencies themselves say:

• The FBI explicitly warns that scammers “may even send photos of what appears to be legitimate law enforcement credentials” and that the “FBI does not call or email private citizens to demand payment or threaten arrest.” Real agents don’t send badge photos as proof of identity.

• The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) states it “will never send you an unsolicited email or text, or call you on the phone” asking for money, Social Security numbers, or account information, and warns that agency names and logos are easily faked.

• The U.S. Marshals Service warns that impersonators “may … send you an image of a fake badge or ID” and that this is a hallmark of the scam, not proof of legitimacy.

• The Social Security OIG has specifically flagged fake badge photos and credential images sent via email or text as a scam indicator.
How real federal contact actually works

• Legitimate agents identify themselves in person and let you inspect the physical credentials and badge, and you can (and should) ask them to wait while you call the agency’s field office directly using a number from the official .gov website to verify.

• Federal agencies generally initiate contact by official mail on agency letterhead, not by text, WhatsApp, Telegram, email attachments, or social media DMs.

• No federal agency will ever demand payment in gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or cash sent through the mail, and none will threaten immediate arrest over the phone.

What to do if someone sent you a badge photo claiming to be a federal agent:

1. Do not send money, share personal information, or click any links.

2. Report it to the FBI’s IC3 and to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

3. If they claimed to be from a specific agency, call that agency’s field office directly using the number from its official .gov website to confirm. Do not use any number the person gave you.

Please share this information, especially with family members, friends, and others who may be particularly vulnerable to these types of scams.

08/31/2026

WRIGHTS SPRING FIRE UPDATE – AUGUST 31, 2026

EVACUATION LEVELS REDUCED — BLISS ROAD REOPENED

Continued progress on the Wrights Spring Fire has allowed officials to reduce evacuation levels across the fire area and reopen Bliss Road to normal traffic.

The Wrights Spring Fire is currently estimated at 55,134 acres and 90% contained, with 359 personnel assigned to the incident. No measurable fire growth has occurred during the past 48 hours.

EVACUATION LEVEL CHANGES

The following evacuation zones located within the fire perimeter have been reduced from Level 3 (GO NOW) to Level 2 (BE SET):

• Zone 1376
• Zone 1381-B
• Zone 1381-D
• Zone 1556
• Zone 1711
• Zone 1706-D
• Zone 1713-B
• Zone 1712-C

All remaining Wrights Spring Fire evacuation zones have been returned to NORMAL status.

The fire has remained within established fire lines through the past several days of Red Flag conditions. Evacuation levels are being reduced based on the continued progress and hard work of firefighters on the ground, along with an anticipated change in weather expected to bring increased humidity and moisture to the area.

The fire remains an active incident. Fire crews will continue working throughout the area, and fire-related hazards remain. Residents within Level 2 areas should continue to BE SET and remain aware of changing conditions.

BLISS ROAD REOPENED

Bliss Road is now OPEN to normal traffic.

Please use caution when traveling through the area. Although the road has reopened, the public is strongly encouraged to avoid unnecessary travel on Bliss Road when possible while firefighting operations continue.

Fire crews, engines, heavy equipment, and other emergency vehicles remain active in the area, and fire-related hazards may still be present.

USFS FOREST CLOSURE REMAINS IN EFFECT

The Fremont-Winema National Forest Emergency Fire Area Closure Order issued by the U.S. Forest Service remains in effect.

The reduction of evacuation levels and reopening of Bliss Road does not lift or modify the USFS Forest Closure Order.

Please continue to comply with all posted forest closures and restrictions. Before entering National Forest lands in or around the Wrights Spring Fire area, check current closure information with the Fremont-Winema National Forest.

RED FLAG CONDITIONS CONTINUE TODAY

Red Flag conditions remain forecast today, with extremely low humidity and winds potentially gusting to 30 mph along ridges.

Any spark could start a fast-moving wildfire. Please use extreme caution with vehicles, equipment, outdoor burning, or anything capable of producing heat or sparks.

FIRE ACTIVITY

Firefighters have established containment around approximately 90% of the fire, and there has been no measurable growth during the past 48 hours.

Residents may continue to see isolated smoke from within the fire perimeter as interior fuels continue to smolder. This activity is not currently considered a threat to containment.

Crews continue to patrol fire lines, remove equipment, maintain roads, repair dozer lines, construct water bars to reduce erosion, and complete other suppression-repair work.

As containment increases, resources are gradually being released to assist with other incidents or become available for new fire starts.

TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTION — NO DRONES

A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) remains in effect over the fire area 24 hours a day until lifted. This includes drones.

Please keep drones away from the fire area. If you fly, they can’t.

FIRE INFORMATION
541-712-4438
8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

[email protected]

The next scheduled daily fire update is Wednesday, September 2.

While the reduction in evacuation levels and reopening of Bliss Road are significant signs of progress, the Wrights Spring Fire remains an active incident, and the USFS Forest Closure Order remains in effect.

Please continue to stay aware of conditions, respect remaining evacuation levels and forest closures, and give firefighters and equipment plenty of room to work.

Thank you to our residents for your continued patience and cooperation and to all of the firefighters and support personnel who continue working on the Wrights Spring Fire.

08/30/2026

WRIGHTS SPRING FIRE EVACUATION UPDATE – AUGUST 29, 2026

Effective at 10:00 a.m. today, evacuation levels for several areas impacted by the Wrights Spring Fire have been reduced.

LEVEL 3 – GO NOW reduced to LEVEL 2 – BE SET:

1713-A, 1712-B, 1712-A Split, 1713-B Split, 1706-B Split, 1706-A Split, and 1167.

LEVEL 2 – BE SET reduced to LEVEL 1 – BE READY:

1941, 1707, 1956, 1957-A, 1957-B, 1716 Split, 1561 Split, 1396, 1381-C Split, 1381-A, 1168-B, 1582-A Split, 1165-B, 1581-B, 1371-B, 1164-A, and 1162-B.

LEVEL 1 – BE READY areas are being returned to NORMAL, with the exception of Zones 1371-A and 1366, which will remain at Level 1.

Where zones are identified as “Split,” evacuation boundaries will follow the contour of the current fire line.

These reductions are possible because of the continued progress being made by firefighters and improving conditions around the fire. The Wrights Spring Fire is currently approximately 55,134 acres and 75% contained, with crews continuing mop-up, suppression repair, and work to secure the fire perimeter.

Residents should remember that reduced evacuation levels do not mean the fire is out. Please remain aware of changing conditions and be prepared to take action if circumstances change.

We appreciate the continued patience and cooperation of residents throughout this incident, as well as the tremendous work of firefighters, law enforcement, emergency personnel, and our many local, state, federal, tribal, and community partners.

Please continue to follow official Klamath County emergency information for the most current evacuation information.

Address

Klamath Falls, OR
97601

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm

Telephone

+15418835130

Website

http://klamathcounty.org/291/Sheriffs-Office

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