TUALATIN, Ore. — Deputy Charles Dozé is now awake and talking after he was shot multiple times in the face and chest Wednesday, Washington County Sheriff's Office officials said Sunday.
Dozé was delivering an eviction notice at the Forest Rim Apartment complex in Tualatin, when Beaverton police said a suspect shot through the door, hitting Dozé.
Washington County Police Officers Association President Patrick Altiere said it could take months, or even years for Dozé to recover from his injuries.
He said the shooting Wednesday morning shocked deputies throughout the agency.
“It’s somber because you don’t know what’s going to happen,” Altiere said. “Or at the very beginning, you don’t even necessarily know who’s involved."
Dozé has worked for the Washington County Sheriff’s Office for 10 years. He serves as a civil deputy. His main duties include serving legal orders, enforcing court orders and county ordinances.
Hundreds of people have contributed to a gofundme for Dozé, which had raised $50,000 as of Sunday. It is unknown when Dozé can return to work.
“This is going to be a long recovery process. We’re talking months or years,” Altiere said. “We don’t know what the income impacts are going to be down the road. We don’t know any of that.”
Police said the suspected shooter is 34-year-old Kristafer James Graves. After the suspect began shooting, police said a deputy returned fire. It’s unknown which deputy shot back.
“They were ambushed at the door,” Altiere said. “They knocked on the door and they weren’t greeted by a person, they were greeted by gunfire.”
After a stand-off that lasted hours, Graves was found dead in the apartment bathroom with a gunshot wound. It is not yet known if it was self-inflicted or if Graves was shot by a deputy.
“There’s no way to prepare or be ready for that,” Altiere said.
In the past few years, three Washington County deputies have been injured on the job, Altiere said.
Two were shot, another was injured by a drunk driver.