Local News

An Eagle Point Police Department drone was used to help apprehend an active shooting suspect on Interstate 5 near Ashland last weekend.

Early Saturday morning, the Ashland Police Department and Jackson County Sheriff's Office responded to an I-5 incident involving a male subject shooting a firearm at passing motorists and officers.

A request for a drone operator was made to assist in locating the suspect after he fled on foot. The Eagle Point Police Department recently obtained a drone and training through a grant offered by City-County Insurance.

EPD Senior Officer Marc Slagle is the department pilot for the new program and he was on duty at the time of the request. Slagle responded, deployed the drone and located the suspect who held his hands up and surrendered once he noticed the drone was overhead.

Law enforcement on scene utilized an armored vehicle for protection and were able to take the suspect into custody without further incident. The suspect was identified as 29-year-old Devanta Bell Mader of Ashland. He was lodged at the Jackson County Jail on several felony charges including Attempted Murder, 1st-Degree Attempted Assault with a Firearm and four counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon. The case is being handled by the Oregon State Police.

EPD Chief Jim Hamilton said the use of a drone has proven to be a force multiplier for many agencies. In addition to this incident, he said the drone has been used to assist with searching for missing people and help locate crime scene evidence.