Lookout PM: Boy who was shot is on life support

Good evening,

First, a correction to yesterday’s newsletter: In summarizing a story about a 14-year-old boy who police said sustained life-threatening injuries during a shooting in the Harlow neighborhood, I misstated what a 4J spokesperson told Lookout. The district said only that the Monroe Middle School community had learned a student there had been seriously hurt. But 4J was not able to say that the student was the same person police said was injured. My regrets.

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More on that story today from our cops reporter, Jaime Adame: Members of the boy’s family told Lookout he had been shot in the head and was on life support. A cousin said the boy, an eighth grader, is an “innocent, beautiful and smart young man” who “wasn’t armed at all.” She said the shooting had followed an argument between teens at Valley River Center. Police have released few details, saying the investigation is still “active.”

The beleaguered Springfield school board has scheduled a meeting for tomorrow evening to select an acting superintendent to serve out the school year. It will choose from three candidates. This comes after months of turmoil, capped by the pending resignation of current Superintendent Todd Hamilton.

Physicians at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend are voting on whether they have confidence in the leadership of two hospital executives. The vote comes after the executives decided to end PeaceHealth’s contract with Eugene Emergency Physicians to staff the RiverBend ER.

In June 2024, a Florence man pleaded guilty to rape involving a juvenile victim. He then skipped town before his sentencing and was on the lam for a year and half. Police nabbed him on Tuesday in Chico, California. Jaime has the story.

And in our opinion section:

Dr. Jim McGovern, an executive with PeaceHealth Oregon, defends the health care system’s decision to hire out-of-state ApolloMD to provide emergency department services at RiverBend.
Meanwhile, a letter-to-the-editor writer praises Eugene Emergency Physicians and says PeaceHealth’s parting of ways with the group is a loss for the community.
Another letter, signed by four former Springfield elected officials including Peter DeFazio, says Springfield deserves better than the controversies that have surrounded county commissioner David Loveall.
The president of the LCC faculty union criticizes a college administrator’s recent column outlining the state of the school’s finances.

What’s on your mind? Send us a letter to the editor (350 words or less, please): lte@lookoutlocal.com

Have a news tip on something we should cover: newsroom@lookoutlocal.com

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DAILY DIGEST

14-year-old Eugene boy shot in head remains on life support, family says

By Jaime Adame

Eugene police have yet to release the name of a 14-year-old shooting victim, but members of his family say he is in critical condition. A cousin said the boy “wasn’t armed at all,” and that the shooting took place following an argument “between teenagers” at Valley River Center.

By Ashli Blow

Physicians at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend are taking a formal vote of two leaders who decided to replace a longstanding contract with emergency doctors.