REDMOND, OR- On January 13, 2022, at approximately 7:51 p.m. Redmond Police Department (RPD) officers responded to the 2900 Block of SW Canal Blvd for a shooting. It was reported 45-year-old Redmond resident Josh LaForest shot 30-year-old Redmond resident Joshua Fischer with a handgun and fled prior to law enforcement arrival. Redmond Fire & Rescue provided Mr. Fischer with emergency medical attention and transported him to Bend St. Charles Hospital, where he was last known to be in fair condition.
On January 14, 2022, at approximately 1:39 a.m. RPD, Bend Police Department, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, the Central Oregon Major Incident Team (MIT) and the Central Oregon Emergency Response Team (CERT) located and arrested Mr. LaForest at the Holiday Hotel, 880 SE 3rd St., Bend, Oregon. Mr. LaForest was lodged at the Deschutes County Jail for the following charges: Attempted Murder 2nd Degree, Assault I, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and Menacing. His bail is $365,000. Mr. LaForest is also being held at the Deschutes County Jail on a no bond out of county warrant and a no bond Probation Violation.
RPD would like to thank the Bend Police Department, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police, MIT, and CERT for their assistance with this investigation. RPD is actively investigating this case, RPD case #22-1054. If you witnessed or have information about this shooting, please contact RPD through non-emergency dispatch, 541-693-6911.
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Please remove the following sentence (original press release paragraph 4, sentence 2) from any news articles.
“The victim is currently receiving assistance and support from Saving Grace.”
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REDMOND, OR - On January 3, 2022, at approximately 9:09 a.m. officers with the Redmond Police Department (RPD) received a report of a kidnap in progress at the 2800 block of SW Peridot Ave. While officers were in route to the call, the female victim was able to escape the residence. The victim told police during the previous weeks that 27-year-old Bernardino Martinez Jr. of Redmond, had assaulted her, strangled her, and had been holding her against her will.
On January 4, 2022, at approximately 2:11 a.m., while law enforcement was actively investigating the original kidnap, officers responded to a call at a local motel for an attempted kidnap in progress - involving the same victim and the same suspect. Mr. Martinez located the victim while she was in front of the motel, assaulted her, stole her phone and attempted to force her into his vehicle. Fortunately, a motel employee came to her aide and Mr. Martinez fled before police arrived.
Later on January 4, at approximately 7:02 p.m., Mr. Martinez was stopped and arrested, while riding as a passenger in the back of a vehicle. The arrest was made with assistance from the Central Oregon Emergency Response Team (CERT). Mr. Martinez was lodged at the Deschutes County Jail for the following crimes: Kidnap I, Strangulation, Assault IV, Coercion, Robbery III, Theft I, Menacing and Parole Violation. Mr. Martinez’s bail is $190,000. However, he is being held on a no bail Parole Violation.
Redmond Police would like to acknowledge the brave motel employee who came to the victim’s aide, causing Mr. Martinez to flee without the victim.
If you or someone you know is experiencing intimate partner violence, sexual assault or intimate partner stalking Saving Grace can help. Saving Grace’s 24-hour helpline phone number is 541-389-7021. When calling their helpline, you can expect to find a safe and trained member of their team who can help connect you to crisis intervention, safety planning, peer counseling, community resources and referrals, access to emergency safe shelter, information about support groups and counseling services, assistance navigating the legal system and an opportunity to meet with an advocate in person.
RPD would like to thank our community partners for their assistance in this investigation, including the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Bend Police Department, and the tri-county CERT team.