Astoria, OR – The Lane County District Attorney’s Office has ruled that a fatal officer-involved shooting that took place in the Glenwood area on November 26, 2024, was justified. The shooting occurred during an attempt by Eugene Police Department (EPD) officers to arrest a man wanted for federal probation violations and drug charges.
The man, identified as Guy Cruz Jr., was the subject of a federal warrant out of Washington state. Cruz, who had a history of violence and firearm possession, had eluded prior attempts to arrest him. Additionally, law enforcement had concerns regarding Cruz’s potential to harm others, especially after the discovery of body armor, ammunition, and drug paraphernalia at one of his former residences. Cruz had reportedly made statements about committing “suicide by cop.”
According to the District Attorney’s report, the EPD SWAT team, working in conjunction with the U.S. Marshals Service, had been tracking Cruz’s movements. Early on the morning of November 26, detectives and a drone team were able to locate Cruz and a female associate as they moved between a hotel, a store, and a storage unit. They eventually followed Cruz and his associate to a gas station on Glenwood Drive, where they got into a vehicle with another associate.
The group was then tracked to a nearby homeless camp on Moon Mountain Drive. As the SWAT officers arrived and began their attempt to arrest Cruz, one officer deployed a flashbang near Cruz and his associate. While the female associate immediately surrendered, Cruz fled, discarding a black bag and running through the area, with officers pursuing him at a distance. The District Attorney’s office noted that Cruz appeared to be concealing an object in one hand, which raised concerns among the officers.
As Cruz continued to flee, he ran off a cliff into a brushy area, with officers following closely behind. When one officer reached the crest of the hill, he saw Cruz turning to face him while holding a gun. The officer shouted commands for Cruz to drop the weapon and surrender, but Cruz allegedly pointed the gun at the officer. Fearing for his life, the officer fired his rifle multiple times, striking Cruz. The officer then retreated from the cliff.
Despite attempts to locate Cruz and verify his condition, police remained concerned about whether Cruz had been struck by the officer’s shots and whether he was still a threat, given his history and the presence of body armor. A K-9 unit was deployed, and Cruz was found to be unresponsive after being bitten by the dog. Officers pulled him from the cliff, applied a tourniquet, and performed CPR until medics arrived. Cruz was later pronounced dead at the scene.
A subsequent search revealed two firearms near Cruz. A loaded 1911-style handgun was found in his hand, and a second loaded .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol was located in the bag Cruz had thrown away.
Following an extensive review of the scene, including physical evidence and testimony from involved personnel, the Lane County District Attorney’s Office concluded that the officer-involved shooting was justified. The decision was based on the officers’ belief that Cruz posed an imminent threat to their safety, and the use of deadly force was deemed to be in self-defense.
