Woodburn Police Respond To Early-Morning Shooting - 12/02/25

Update 12/2/2025:

On 12/1/2025, the Woodburn Police Department arrested a 17-year-old male juvenile and Olga Bautista Lopez, 39 (both Woodburn residents), in relation to a homicide that occurred on 11/28/2025.  Both subjects were located at the 900 block of N. First Street in Woodburn.  The juvenile was lodged at the Marion County Juvenile Detention Center for the crimes of Murder in the Second Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.  Olga Bautista Lopez was arrested for Hindering Prosecution and lodged at the Marion County Jail.

On 11/28/2025 at approximately 4:00 am, the Woodburn Police Department was called to the area of Country Lane and Pana Street in Woodburn, on a report of shots fired.  When officers arrived, they located one male victim that was shot and pronounced deceased on scene.

The victim in this case was later identified as Luis Paniagua Fernandez, 22, of Woodburn.

This case is still under investigation, and the Woodburn Police Department is asking anyone with information regarding this case to call 503-982-2345 and reference case# 25-15739. 

Any further information will be released by the Marion County District Attorney’s Office.   

Woodburn City Council Declares A Local State Of Emergency Related To The Economic And Humanitarian Impacts Of Federal Immigration Practices (Photo) - 11/21/25

During a Special Meeting today, the Woodburn City Council unanimously adopted Council Bill 3289 (attached) declaring a local state of emergency due to the economic and humanitarian crisis resulting from federal immigration enforcement actions occurring within the City.

In recent weeks, the City has heard from community members and partners about the widespread fear amongst residents, leading to a measured decline in workforce participation, attendance in schools, and those willing to report crime. The current crisis also further strains local food banks and other non-profit service providers. In Woodburn, immigrants, foreign-born and refugee populations comprise a vitally important workforce for our regional economy. The Woodburn Community is 63% Latino, with 31% of the total population, including those born outside of the United States.

Mayor Frank Lonergan stated that the emergency declaration is in direct response to the federal government’s actions in Woodburn. “It’s outrageous that masked agents, many who are unidentified as agents, are sweeping people off our streets, leaving families, children and employers in fear and complete limbo,” said Lonergan. The City’s emergency declaration reaffirms its commitment to Oregon Revised Statutes 180.805 and 180.820 through 181A.820, which designates all local governments as sanctuary cities and counties.

“I want people to understand that it’s not just undocumented farmworkers that are being impacted, but American citizens. Citizens who are afraid to do business and go to work out of fear of being targeted by federal agents because of the color of their skin alone,” said City Councilor Mark Wilk, “Not only does racial profiling set our country back decades, it undermines the legitimacy of all law enforcement as well as our local economy. The erosion of civil liberties affects everyone.”

As part of the City Council’s action, Woodburn’s City Manager is directed to allocate up to $30,000 from the City’s General Fund to help mitigate the impact federal immigration enforcement is having on families and businesses, as well as access to food, housing, and mental health services. The declaration also authorizes seeking additional resources and working with state and community partners while continuing to ensure the City’s compliance with Oregon’s sanctuary laws.

City Council President Sharon Schaub said, “It just breaks my heart knowing that families are being separated and that children are afraid to attend school. It is imperative that we treat people with dignity and respect and honor the civil rights of all people. We cannot overlook these core American values in our own community.”

Woodburn Police Department, Working With Multiple Agencies, Helps Bring Offender To Justice With 17-Year Sentence - 11/19/25

The Woodburn Police Department (WPD) is committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community. In April, officers and detectives from WPD began an investigation into a report involving the possible sexual assault of a juvenile.

Through detailed and collaborative work, detectives uncovered that an adult male from Washington had traveled across state lines to harm a minor. Working closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Kent, Washington Police Department, the Snoqualmie, Washington Police Department, and the Washington Department of Corrections, investigators identified the offender as James “Jake” Harrison Newcomer, a 29-year-old registered sex offender who had removed his ankle monitor.

On Monday, November 17, 2025, Newcomer was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 17 years in prison. We are grateful for the teamwork between agencies that led to a successful prosecution.

For full details, please see the press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa/pr/registered-sex-offender-who-cut-ankle-bracelet-and-committed-more-sex-crimes-against

Explosion At Woodburn Motel (Photo) - 11/14/25

Woodbrun, OR – On Saturday night, November 8, 2025, at 10:42 p.m., Woodburn Officers responded to a report of an explosion at the Woodburn Inn located at 1025 N. Pacific Highway in Woodburn. Upon arriving, officers found a 25-year-old male suffering from non-life-threatening bleeding injuries outside of one of the ground-level rooms.  The male’s injuries appeared to be caused by flying glass and debris spread throughout the parking lot, caused by an explosion from inside one of the motel rooms.  After getting the male to safety, officers also located a 33-year-old female and a 36-year-old male still inside the motel room, where officers found both of them suffering from burn injuries. Officers got both burn victims out of the room to safety and then evacuated the entire motel.

All three subjects were taken to local hospitals to be treated for their injuries, which appeared to be non-life-threatening.  After containing the area, OSP bomb squad responded to the scene, where they searched the room for any explosive devices. No devices were located in the room, and the cause of the explosion is still under investigation.

This investigation is still ongoing, and the Woodburn Police are asking anyone with any information to call the Woodburn Police Department at 503-982-2345 and reference case number 25-15028*.

*Case number has been updated.