BEND, Ore. — Bend Police are reminding residents about the importance of responsible firearm ownership after responding to two separate accidental handgun discharges inside homes over the past two weeks, incidents that investigators say put neighbors at risk and resulted in criminal charges against two Bend men.
The first incident occurred on May 16 in the 1700 block of Southeast Tempest Drive. According to Bend Police, officers were called at approximately 2:31 p.m. after family members discovered evidence that a bullet had traveled through an elderly woman’s apartment wall, mattress and box springs, closet doors, and ultimately lodged inside a box of medical equipment.
Investigators learned the woman had heard a loud noise in a spare bedroom on May 14. Shortly afterward, her neighbor — later identified as 37-year-old Preston Wayne Cooper — reportedly came over to ask to borrow a cup of sugar.
During the investigation, officers discovered Cooper had pawned a firearm on May 16. Two days later, on May 18, investigators served a search warrant at Cooper’s apartment, where they found multiple firearms, ammunition, and a bullet hole in the wall. Cooper was arrested on suspicion of reckless endangering.
In a separate incident on May 24, officers responded at approximately 11:48 a.m. to the 1900 block of Northeast Zachary Court after a townhome resident reported that a neighbor had discharged a firearm and a bullet had traveled through a shared wall.
Police said 27-year-old Dylan James Plymale told officers he had been cleaning firearms and believed the handgun was unloaded when he tossed it onto a coffee table, causing it to fire. The bullet passed through the neighboring unit and struck a television, sending shrapnel into the neighbor.
Investigators later determined Plymale had been practicing drawing the handgun when it discharged.
Plymale was arrested on suspicion of two counts of reckless endangering, fourth-degree assault, and second-degree criminal mischief.
Following the incidents, Bend Police urged firearm owners to practice safe handling procedures at all times.
“Always keep a gun pointed in a safe direction, even when you believe you are handling an unloaded gun,” the department said in a statement. “Never assume a firearm is unloaded — the first thing you should do when you pick up a gun is check that it is unloaded.”
Police also reminded gun owners to keep their fingers off the trigger until ready to fire and to securely store firearms and ammunition.
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