Grand jury finds Oregon City officer justified in shooting ex-cop during standoff

A former Canby police sergeant was shot by an Oregon City police officer during a standoff last month that resulted in the man’s suicide, according to a Clackamas County grand jury.

The ruling, which was made public on Friday, concluded that Officer Sydney Oden had committed no crimes in connection with the shooting death of Scott Alan Farmer on May 16. Prosecutors say Farmer told officers he wanted to kill himself and then opened fire on her outside his house.

According to a statement from the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office, Farmer, 58, was employed by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office from 2000 to 2002 and Canby police from 2002 to 2022.

According to the district attorney’s office, Farmer had contacted a non-emergency number at approximately 4:45 a.m. and declared his intention to commit himself. Farmer was intoxicated and had gone outside with a loaded revolver, according to his wife, who called 911 as police arrived at their home.

According to a statement from the district attorney’s office, Farmer soon began approaching cops despite orders to remove his hands from his pockets. According to the statement, he then drew a pistol and fired at Oden, who returned fire.

According to the district attorney’s office, Oden fired four shots after Farmer fired five, striking Farmer in the hip.

Officers attempted to persuade Farmer to surrender his firearm while he lay on the ground.According to the workplace, he shot himself ten minutes after the cops came.

According to state records, A year after being accused of illegally transferring firearms, Farmer was let go from his post as a sergeant with the Canby Police 2022. According to court documents, he entered a guilty plea and paid a fine in the case.

Oden joined the Oregon City Police Department in 2022 and has been a police officer for about three years.

Help is available if you or someone you know is thinking of ending their life. For discreet, round-the-clock assistance, text or call 988 or go to 988lifeline.org.

Assistance is available.

• 
  Suicide and crisis lifeline: 988
  
• 
  Alcohol and drug hotline: 800-923-4357
  
• 
  Teen-to-teen crisis and help: 877-968-8491, or text teen2teen to 839863
  

• 
  Suicide and crisis lifeline: 988
  
• 
  Alcohol and drug hotline: 800-923-4357
  
• 
  Teen-to-teen crisis and help: 877-968-8491, or text teen2teen to 839863
  

This report was written by Zaeem Shaikh, a staff writer.

Fedor Zarkhin is an enterprise and breaking news reporter. Have you got a story? Contact him by email at fzarkhin@oregonian.com or by phone at 971-373-2905.

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