The mayor of a small town in Oregon has been arrested after he allegedly opened fire on a family of four, including two children.
Dowen Jones, mayor of Rufus, is currently behind bars at the Northern Oregon Regional Corrections Facility, after he fired shots at two adults and two children, aged five and eight, on October 31 around 8.40pm.
The mayor, 47, was spotted driving ‘erratically’ south on Highway 281 in front of the family of four when he suddenly pulled over. The family slowed down in an attempt to get a description of the driver to report to the police and were met with gunfire.
‘As the family passed the suspect vehicle, a male subject stepped out of the passenger side and fired multiple rounds from a handgun at the passing family,’ Hood River Sheriff’s Office wrote in a statement.
No injuries were reported, but the family’s SUV was damaged.
Jones was charged with one count of attempted murder and four counts of attempted assault.
Police said they are unable to release a mugshot of Jones per an Oregon law that went into effect last year.
Jones fled the scene following the altercation but police were able to locate the vehicle and identify Jones on Tuesday November 1. He was later arrested and is still held with bail set to $500,000.
The mayor appeared in court on Wednesday but will have to hire his own attorney. Jones will appear back in court on November 10.
Jones has served as mayor of Rufus since 2018 when he received 78 votes. According to Data Commons, the small town has a population of 270 people and is located more than 110 miles outside of Portland.
