ASHLAND, Ore. — An Ashland man has been arrested following an investigation into an alleged armed robbery attempt that escalated into a physical fight and gunfire in a business parking lot earlier this week.
According to the Ashland Police Department, officers responded at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 19, to the 500 block of Clover Lane after receiving multiple 911 calls reporting two men fighting in the parking lot of a nearby business.
When officers arrived, one of the men, later identified as the suspect, remained at the scene. The other man, identified as the victim, had already left the area.
Investigators determined the victim had been sitting inside a van when the suspect approached, displayed a handgun, and demanded property. The confrontation quickly turned physical, drawing the attention of bystanders who contacted emergency dispatchers.
Police said the victim and suspect were acquainted.
During the investigation, officers discovered that the suspect had been in possession of two handguns during the altercation. Both firearms were recovered at the scene. One of the weapons had been fitted with a homemade suppressor, commonly referred to as a silencer.
Investigators also determined that a single shot was fired during the struggle, striking the victim’s van. No injuries from the gunfire were reported.
Officers and members of the Ashland Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division interviewed multiple witnesses and collected evidence as part of the investigation.
On Wednesday, July 22, detectives arrested Diogenes Pena Javier, 43, of Ashland, at his residence.
He was booked into the Jackson County Jail on the following charges:
- First-Degree Robbery
- Unlawful Use of a Weapon
- Second-Degree Disorderly Conduct
- Reckless Endangerment
- Menacing
- Fourth-Degree Assault
The investigation was conducted in coordination with the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office. The case remains under investigation.
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