One Arrested At Riot Outside Of The Lane County Jail (Photo) -07/02/20

On 7/1/2020 shortly after 9:00 p.m., over 100 people gathered at the Lane County Jail in an organized protest. Protesters set off fireworks and took over 5th Avenue in downtown Eugene in front of the jail. As the evening progressed, many of the protesters moved to the back of the jail adjacent to the railroad tracks. 

The event quickly became destructive as several people began throwing lit fireworks into the parking area of the jail. Rioters then tore down two separate sections of the chain link fence surrounding the jail which were several hundred feet apart. Rioters entered the secure parking area and broke the windows of several vehicles and spray painted one vehicle. Deputies deployed pepper ball to regain control of the secure area and stop the destruction.

Deputies were able to take 28 year old Noah Whitewolf of Eugene into custody in the secure parking area of the jail for the destruction of multiple vehicles (not all pictured destruction is connected to Whitewolf). Whitewolf is being held on the following charges: Assault on a Public Safety Officer, Criminal Mischief in the first degree and Rioting, all felonies. The Eugene Police are investigating the incident. One of the responding deputies was injured during this event, but the extent of the injury is not yet known.

While deputies were taking Whitewolf into custody and securing the breached sections of the secure parking area, rioters moved to the front of the jail and for the second time this week lit the American flag on fire.

These events are one in a series of vandalism and destruction at the jail in recent days. Several days ago, the sign in front of the jail dedicating the Defendant Offender Management Center to Richard K. Sherman was defaced. Richard Sherman was an advocate for inmates suffering from mental health issues and addiction, and served the inmates at the Lane County Jail as the Health Services Manager until he died at the age of 47 of pancreatic cancer. The sign and the building were a way to honor all that Richard Sherman did for the inmates in our community. 

"We are saddened at the destruction that has occurred, and the danger that this event created. We are absolutely supportive of peaceful protests and having a dialogue about how things can be improved, but that's not what this was.  This was a riot, and it took significant resources away from calls for service from community members (not involved in the riot) needing emergency law enforcement response," said Sheriff Cliff Harrold.