Grand jury clears officers in fatal Lincoln City shooting

A Lincoln County grand jury found two police officers justified in the shooting death of 49-year-old Daniel Noonan, according to the Lincoln County District Attorney.

The shooting happened on June 17 at a fruit stand near the intersection of Highway 229 and Highway 101 in Lincoln City. Oregon State Police had received reports of a disturbance there before the officers shot Noonan, who was 49.

The grand jury decision closes one step in the review of a fatal police shooting. For families, the records tied to a death investigation can matter later in a wrongful death claim, especially reports, witness statements, and agency findings that help explain what happened and when.

When a death follows a law enforcement response, the factual record often comes from several places at once. In this case, the account in OregonLive relied on the district attorney’s statement and the reported Oregon State Police response. Those details help establish the timeline, but they do not answer every question a family may have about medical care, scene evidence, or the reasons officers used force.

Families dealing with a death like this often need copies of police reports, any available 911 records, and names of witnesses as soon as possible. A separate civil claim can raise different issues from the grand jury review, including whether another person or entity may have been responsible for the loss.

For readers dealing with a preventable death, Wrongful Death (opens in a new tab) resources can help explain the records and decisions that usually come next.