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Graduate student fires shots

University of Oregon Political Science Graduate Teaching Fellow Jack Edward McDowellwas taken into custody outside his home at approximately 3:22 a.m. Saturday, according to a press release sent by Eugene Police Department Sergeant Ron Tinseth. 

After being awoken by gunfire, four neighbors in the East 18th Avenue and Columbia Street area called 911 and reported hearing gunshots from within McDowell’s home. EPD responded to his home where he was taken into custody. Several firearms were seized from inside the residence. 

The investigations have revealed he was allegedly shooting guns into the ceiling of his home. At least 39 gunshots were fired. He is currently lodged at the Lane County Jail on 39 counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Disorderly Conduct 2.

16 Comments

  1. Awesome0 05/13/2013

    Should this be EPD or UOPD? What are the jurisdictional boundaries?

  2. Anonymous 05/13/2013

    Yet another gun nut exercising his 2nd amendment rights! I wouldn’t be surprised if he was SUI — Shooting Under the Influence of drugs/booze…

  3. Awesome0 05/13/2013

    Many gun deaths (either suicides or homicides) involve substance abuse prior to the shooting.

  4. Anonymous 05/13/2013

    Didn’t Rudnick and Gleason belittle such risks raised at the bargaining table last week?

  5. Been here before 05/13/2013

    Yes they did. And the UO Admins have said that they aren’t going to post Police on the 8th or 9th floors of PLC. Someone remind the partners of everyone who works up there to file major lawsuits after the calamity happens. This guy is dangerous and should be off the streets and locked up.

    • Anonymous 05/13/2013

      Is this the same situation?

  6. Been here before 05/13/2013

    Nope. Different students.

  7. Anonymous 05/13/2013

    UOPD is not allowed to carry guns. That is why Eugene Police handled.

  8. Anonymous 05/13/2013

    Many of these incidents involve serious mental illness, which seemed to be the case in at least one of the political science incidents. (Some major disorders emerge in the 18-22 age range.) I’m no fan of the UOPD or the administration’s handling of this situation, but to a large degree their decisions were in line with the current legal status of vague threats by people even with a diagnosed disorder; the law is currently heavily biased towards patients rights, so clinicians and other concerned parties have very little legal recourse unless and until an act of violence is committed. So the blame is squarely on the legal system for preventing from taking action people who recognized that someone clearly needed help but was unwilling to seek it out.

  9. Anonymous 05/13/2013

    WTF? People seem to be writing about matters that are well known to them, but not everyone else. A little bit of context would be polite.

    • Anonymous 05/13/2013

      The PLC issue? Please inform?

  10. Anonymous 05/13/2013

    “WTF? People seem to be writing about matters that are well known to them, but not everyone else. A little bit of context would be polite.”

    Ditto. Having at least some information or knowing the Departments where these things happened would be helpful.

  11. Anonymous 05/13/2013

    Is it safe to go up to the 9th floor of PLC? Who is McDowell’s faculty advisor?

    • UO Matters 05/13/2013

      I’m thinking we don’t want to go down that road on this blog. Thanks.

  12. Anonymous 05/14/2013

    I see that the link above to Edwards’ booking at the Lane County jail now has his mug shot and that the 39 charges have been reduced to just one charge of unlawful use of a weapon. Appears that he’s still in jail with no bail set.

    Interestingly, I’ve not seen any mention of this by the usual UO administration sources. It was buried in a back section of the Monday R-G.

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