Date: Aug. 31, 2026 
Case #s: 2026-00047773 
2026-00047732 
2026-00047736 
2026-00048155 
Incident: Bend man arrested in string of burglaries, car break-ins 
Arrested: James Thomas Tharp, Jr., 47-year-old Bend resident 
Offenses: Burglary I, Burglary II x4, Theft I, Theft II, Criminal Mischief I x6, Criminal Mischief II x4

At approximately 5 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 28, Bend Police officers responded to an alarm at High Time Vape and Smoke in the 2300 block of NE Division Street. A large rock had been thrown through the front door. Officers cleared the business and did not find anyone inside, but officers noted a display of vape cartridges appeared disturbed, as though someone had taken some of those items. 

About two hours later, at 7:20 a.m., officers responded to a report of an attempted burglary steps away at The Herb Center dispensary in the 2200 block of NE Division Street. Officers reviewed surveillance footage, which showed a man approach the front of the store at about 4:52 a.m. and throw a large chunk of asphalt at the business's window, causing damage. The suspect tried to break another window. The suspect could be seen dropping vape cartridges from his pocket onto the ground before fleeing without getting inside the business. The suspect was wearing a camouflage hooded sweatshirt, baggy pants and distinctive Nike shoes. 

At approximately 10:52 a.m. that same day, officers responded to a report of multiple vehicles being vandalized at a complex near NE Ross Road and Boyd Acres Road. Someone had used large lava rocks to break the windows of five vehicles parked in the area. Nothing was taken from the vehicles. 

At approximately 7:15 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 30, officers responded to a report of a burglary at Third Street Beverage in the 700 block of NE Third Street. The business had multiple broken windows, and damage to the automatic sliding door and sign. The suspect had taken cigarettes and socks from the store, and the front door damage alone was estimated at approximately $15,000. Surveillance footage showed the same suspect, wearing the same clothing as the prior break-ins, gain access to the liquor store around 2:20 a.m. 

Over the course of the investigation, officers identified the suspect in all of these incidents as 47-year-old James Thomas Tharp, Jr., and at around 8:49 a.m., officers located him wearing the same outfit as the suspect in the break-ins. Tharp had broken into an unoccupied home in the 300 block of NE Greeley Avenue and was staying there. Officers recovered $900 worth of cigarettes, as well as cigarette racks, socks, a hat and lighters from inside the home. That property was returned to Third Street Beverage.  

Tharp was arrested on suspicion of first-degree burglary, four counts of second-degree burglary, six counts of first-degree criminal mischief, four counts of second-degree criminal mischief, and one count each of first- and second-degree theft. He was transported to the Deschutes County Jail. 

Date: Aug. 25, 2026 
Case #: 2026-00047054 
Incident: Teen arrested after pointing a replica handgun during dispute 
Date / Time of Incident:   Aug. 25, 2026 / 1:39 a.m. 
Location:  Westside Village Apartments, 1400 block of NW Albany Ave., Bend  
Arrested: 15-year-old Bend resident 
Offense: Menacing x3

At approximately 1:39 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 25, Bend Police responded to a report of a dispute in which a 15-year-old pointed a gun at a group of teens. 

Officers learned that a 17-year-old got into a confrontation with a 15-year-old over social media. The 17-year-old victim was hanging out with friends in a car outside the suspect's apartment building when the 15-year-old suspect exited his apartment and pointed a gun at each member of the group, using a laser sight.  

Members of the Central Oregon Emergency Response Team responded to the incident, and at approximately 7:38 a.m. officers called the 15-year-old out of the apartment. He was detained without incident.

Officers executed a search warrant on the 15-year-old's apartment and recovered a realistic replica handgun with laser sight. The 15-year-old was transported to Deschutes County Juvenile Community Justice on suspicion of three counts of menacing.  

Date: Aug. 23, 2026 
Case #: 2026-00046630 
Incident: Bend woman shot in accidental discharge, shooter arrested 
Date / Time of Incident: Aug. 22, 2026 / 8:08 p.m.  
Location: 63000 block of Layton Avenue, Bend  
Arrested: Brandon Paul Ferris, 53-year-old Bend resident 
Offense: Assault III, Assault IV

At approximately 8:08 p.m., Bend Police responded to a report of a gunshot wound in the 63000 block of Layton Avenue. 

When officers arrived, they learned that 53-year-old Bend resident Brandon Paul Ferris was in an upstairs bedroom showing a 9mm handgun to a visitor to the home. Ferris mistakenly loaded a live round instead of a training cartridge and when he fired the gun, the round went through the floor and struck a 24-year-old woman sitting in the room below. She was struck in the arm and abdomen.

Arriving officers rendered aid to the victim, who was transported to St. Charles Bend with non-life-threatening injuries. 

Ferris was taken into custody without incident. He was transported to the Deschutes County Jail on suspicion of third-degree assault and fourth-degree assault. 

Bend Police would like to remind gun owners of the importance of responsible ownership. It is your responsibility to know how to properly handle any firearm you own, and to secure your firearms in a safe manner. Always keep a gun pointed in a safe direction, even when you believe you are handling an unloaded gun. Keep your finger off the trigger – the only time you should touch the trigger is when you are prepared to use it. Never assume a firearm is unloaded – the first thing you should do when you pick up a gun is to check that it is unloaded.

Date: Aug. 20, 2026 
Case #: 2026-00042776 
Incident: Bend man arrested for luring  
Date / Time of Incident:  Aug. 20, 2026 / 12:44 p.m. 
Arrested: Collin Evan Fogel, 47-year-old Bend resident 
Offenses: Luring Minor for Sexual Conduct, Online Sexual Corruption of a Minor I

On Friday, July 31, Bend Police received a report of a man approaching a 16-year-old girl at a neighborhood pool and asking for her phone number so she could babysit his child. The man, later identified as 47-year-old Bend resident Collin Evan Fogel, began texting the girl, who was uncomfortable with the messages. 

An officer took over the texting with Fogel and posed as the teen. Fogel repeatedly texted sexually explicit messages and images.

At approximately 12:44 p.m. on Aug. 20, an officer posing as the teen agreed to meet Fogel in a parking lot in the 61300 block of South Highway 97. When Fogel arrived, Bend Police arrested him on suspicion of luring and second-degree online sexual corruption of a minor. 

Fogel was arrested and lodged at the Deschutes County Jail. 

Date: Aug. 15, 2026 
Case #: 2026-00044772 
Incident: Bend man arrested for SE Bend burglaries, theft
Date / Time of Incident: Aug. 14, 2026 / 2 a.m.  
Location: 20800 block of SE Denver Drive, Bend  
Arrested: Michael Scott Delay, 38-year-old Bend resident 
Offenses: Burglary I x4, Theft I

At approximately 8:33 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 14, Bend Police received a report from a homeowner in the 20800 block of SE Denver Drive reporting her home had been broken into and items stolen. 

Responding officers canvassed the neighborhood and found that the burglary suspect was on surveillance video attempting to enter four other homes in the area. 

With assistance from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect was identified as 38-year-old Bend resident Michael Scott Delay. Bend officers had also contacted Delay on Aug. 13 for walking in the road less than 2 miles from the Aug. 14 burglary on SE Denver Drive.

At approximately 7:37 p.m., Redmond Police located Delay in the area of NE Blackfoot Court and took him into custody. 

Delay was arrested on suspicion of four counts of first-degree burglary and one count of first-degree theft and transported to the Deschutes County Jail. 

Bend Police wish to thank the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and Redmond Police Department for their assistance in this case.

Date: Aug. 15, 2026 
Case #: 2026-00044955 
Incident:  Two arrested after deliberate car crash 
Date / Time of Incident:  Aug. 14, 2026 / 10:28 p.m.  
Location:  NE 27th Street & Forum Drive, Bend 
 

Arrested: Scott Everett Mann, 41-year-old La Pine resident 
Offenses: Reckless Driving, Reckless Endangering x2, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Criminal Mischief I, Disorderly Conduct II

Arrested: Gregory Charles Unruh, 43-year-old Bend resident 
Offenses: Disorderly Conduct II, Interfering with a Police Officer, Assault of a Public Safety Officer

At approximately 10:28 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 14, Bend Police responded to a report of a motor vehicle crash in the area of NE 27th Street and Forum Drive. When officers arrived, they learned that the driver of a Toyota Tacoma, 41-year-old La Pine resident Scott Everett Mann, had deliberately rammed and crashed into a white Volvo S60. The two vehicles blocked the road and the occupants briefly fought before officers arrived on scene. 

Mann was arrested on suspicion of reckless driving, two counts of reckless endangering, unlawful use of a weapon, first-degree criminal mischief, and second-degree disorderly conduct. He was transported to the Deschutes County Jail.

While officers were investigating the incident, a man aggressively approached officers who were interviewing Mann and interfered in the interview, trying to fight with officers on the scene. The man, 43-year-old Bend resident Gregory Charles Unruh, was a family member of one of the people involved in the crash. He was arrested on suspicion of second-degree disorderly conduct, interfering with a police officer and assault of a public safety officer. He was transported to the Deschutes County Jail. 

There was a large police presence at the scene. 

Date: Aug. 13, 2026 
Case #: 2026-00044451 
Incident: Bend man arrested for firing gun after dispute 
Date / Time of Incident: Aug. 12, 2026 / 8:48 p.m.   
Location:  2700 block of NE Great Horned Place, Bend  
Arrested: Joshua Lee Russell, 50-year-old Bend resident 
Offenses: Menacing, Disorderly Conduct II, Unlawful Use of a Weapon

At approximately 8:48 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 12, Bend Police received a report of a dispute in the 2700 block of NE Great Horned Place. A caller reported that he’d been walking his dog along Rainier Drive when his dog started barking at deer. As the caller pulled his dog away and continued walking, he heard a man yelling threats at him from a house on Great Horned Place. The suspect, later identified as 50-year-old Joshua Lee Russell, threatened to shoot and kill the man and his dog. 

After walking past Russell’s home, he heard multiple gunshots. Multiple other callers to 911 reported hearing gunfire in the area. 

Officers responded to the home and set up a perimeter, then called Russell out of the home. Russell was detained without incident and was transported to the Deschutes County Jail on suspicion of menacing, second-degree disorderly conduct, and unlawful use of a weapon. 

Detectives executed a search warrant at the home on NE Great Horned Place and located eight spent rounds in a trash can, an AR-style rifle, and evidence that Russell had shot that firearm into the grass in the yard. 

There was a large police presence in the neighborhood for about four hours, including members of the Central Oregon Emergency Response Team, armored vehicles, and drones.

UPDATE 3-16-2026: An investigation into this incident is ongoing. The deceased suspect has been identified as Zachary Dale Zamzow Douglas, a 36-year-old Bend resident who fell from the home’s balcony during a struggle with the homeowner and then ran from the scene and died nearby. Detectives are awaiting the results of an autopsy. No firearms were involved in this incident.  

The victim in this incident was treated and released from St. Charles Bend.  

The investigation indicates that this was a targeted incident, and any relationship between the suspect and victim remains part of that investigation.