McKenzie Bridge shootout sends two men to the hospital
By Israel La Rue
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MCKENZIE BRIDGE, Oregon (KEZI) — On Sunday morning Lane County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report of two men shooting at each other in McKenzie Bridge, saying the shootout started from a domestic dispute.
“It was rapid gun fire like pop pop pop, really fast and that was about 8 or 9 shots,” Local resident Abigail Elliot said.
Darren Matthew Wernecki lives at the property where the shooting happened, and said he saw the whole thing and why it happened.
“Argument first, then the gunshots went off,” Wernecki said. “And that’s when I knew the gun was firing then, because I heard it big time. From up there, and I had my door shut and everything. I could hear right through the windows, but then bullets were flying.”
Nearby neighbors said they heard those gun shots ring out and immediately took cover as those shots continued.
“My dog got on the ground instinctively and he went down low to the ground and I just jumped on top of him and covered him,” Elliot said. “Because it sounded so close, I was afraid of a bullet coming through the motor home, that was my fear at the moment.”
Wernecki said he also helped tend to the wounds of the two men.
“I went out there and covered him up, put a blanket over,” Wernecki said. “He had the hole going through him, and I stuck my hand on it and tried to push down a little bit. He covered the bleeding up, and he quit bleeding. And I had to go back up and check on the other guy, because he got shot. He got nailed in the shoulder. He must have turned around or something, somebody nailed him. But anyway, he got nailed there. So then I had to go over there and help him out.”
Both men were airlifted to a local hospital from Tokatee Golf Club, which was a six minute drive from where the shooting happened.
“I was just concerned that someone might get hurt and next thing I know there’s two choppers flying away,” Elliot said.
The Lane County Sheriff’s Office said both men are suffering from life threatening gunshot wounds. Their condition as of Sunday night is not known and it is not clear who the two men are and how they know each other.
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