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On the evening of April 24th, 2024, the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office responded to a complaint of multiple people being shot during a disturbance in the 4400 block of SE Riverside Loop, rural McMinnville. The caller reported hearing what sounded like a .22 caliber gunshot and multiple people yelling that someone may have been shot in the head. A coordinated active shooter response was implemented by the Sheriff’s Office along with McMinnville Police Department, Yamhill Police Department, Carlton Police Department, and McMinnville Fire and EMS.
Upon arrival, law enforcement detained multiple people on the property. The preliminary investigation suggests an adult male shot an adult female victim in the back of the head and then later turned the weapon on himself and sustained injuries. The weapon was found by Yamhill County Search and Rescue after an evidence ground search in a field adjacent to the residence. The weapon involved in the incident is a hand-pump pellet gun.
The investigation was turned over to the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit who have determined the incident is a domestic violence related event between family/household members. There were multiple assaults committed, including the shooting incident, as well as an assault where an individual was struck in the head with a piece of lumber. Amy Morgan, age 60, was arrested and lodged in the Yamhill County Jail for Assault 4th Degree (Domestic Violence) and Assault 4th Degree.
The female victim of the shooting was transported to an area hospital for treatment. The adult male believed to be responsible for the shooting was initially ground transported to a local hospital, and then air-lifted to a trauma center for medical treatment.
This case remains under investigation by the Yamhill County Special Investigations Unit and additional arrests are expected. “This case is yet another reminder that household and family violence is a significant problem in Yamhill County. I would like to thank our local partners who responded to assist with this incident, and the amazing staff from the Yamhill County Crime Victim Advocates who will continue to support the victims of this incident, and other criminal events in Yamhill County.”-Sheriff Elliott
Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office patrol staff responded to a reported sex crime in the 200 block of NE Yamhill Street in the city of Sheridan. A sixteen-year-old reported two adults provided the juvenile alcohol and marijuana and then engaged in sexual contact, on multiple occasions. The investigation was turned over to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) detectives.
On April 15, 2024, Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office SIU executed a search warrant at a residence in Sheridan. During the warrant, detectives seized evidence pertinent to the case which corroborated the juvenile’s statements. Two adults were arrested and are identified as Kevin Kemp (age 41) and Shannon Kemp (age 36).
Both Shannon and Kevin Kemp were lodged at the Yamhill County Jail on multiple charges including Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree, Contributing to the Sexual Delinquency of a Minor, Providing Liquor to Minor, and Allowing Consumption of Marijuana by Person Under 21 Years of Age on Private Property.
On April 17, 2024, Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit detectives received a case referral from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce regarding an individual uploading Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) to an online file storage platform. Investigative leads showed the files were uploaded from a device with a telephone number belonging to an individual in Sheridan, OR.
The same day, SIU detectives obtained and served a search warrant in the 500 block of SE Sheridan Rd in the city of Sheridan. Evidence including an electronic device was seized. Detectives arrested Brendan Haynes, age 27, and he was lodged in the Yamhill County Jail on 6 counts of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse in the 2nd Degree.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and Yamhill County Sheriff's Office is committed to investigating any report of sexual assault and child exploitation.
On April 17, 2024, at 10:47 am Yamhill Communications received a call from city staff at Lafayette City Hall. City staff said a male caller had called city hall and reported that he was at an address on W 9th Street in the city of Lafayette, and that he had just shot two individuals who were inside the home. The caller also reported that he had barricaded himself in preparation for a law enforcement response and would shoot responding deputies.
Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office responded to the call. The deputy assigned to the city of Lafayette arrived and began directing additional responders to set up a containment around the residence.
Yamhill County Emergency Manager Sergeant Brian Young was notified to send out a shelter in place notification through Everbridge for the surrounding area.
Within a very short period, Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office, with mutual aid support from McMinnville Police Department, Oregon State Police, Yamhill Police Department, and Newberg-Dundee Police Department were able to have a secure perimeter around the address, and initiate contact inside the residence.
An adult female was contacted, who reported there were no issues in the home. The resident was fully cooperative, and the home was checked, and the incident was found to be a false report, constituting a “swatting” incident. Swatting is the action of making a prank call to emergency services to bring about the dispatch of a large number of responders to a particular address.
The determination the report was false came quickly, therefore no Everbridge notification was sent out. The resident of the home reported having prior issues with cyber bullying and harassment. Investigators are working with the city staff to determine the origin of the call.
Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank our partners with the city of Lafayette, Lafayette Fire Department, Lafayette Public Works, McMinnville Rural Fire District, McMinnville Police Department, Newberg-Dundee Police Department, Oregon State Police, Yamhill Police Department, Salem Police Department, and Washington County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in this event.