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.