Oregon father of five killed in home by suspected stray bullet shot by hunter

An Oregon father of five was fatally shot inside his home on Saturday by a stray bullet that police suspect was fired by a hunter.

Robert Alan Church, 54, died at his residence in the 24000 block of Springer Road near Sweet Home, Oregon, the Linn County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

Emergency personnel from the sheriff’s office and Sweet Home Fire Department responded to a report of a shooting around 5:48 p.m. and attempted lifesaving measures, but Church died at the scene.

Investigators determined that the shot likely originated from a hunter in the vicinity who partially field dressed a deer before leaving the area with the carcass.

Linn County Sheriff Michelle Duncan said that investigators did not know whether the hunter was aware that Church had been hit, as reported by FOX 12 Oregon. Duncan added that officials did not believe the discharge was intentional and urged the person responsible to come forward to bring closure to the victim’s family.

Residents in the neighborhood observed that the surrounding rural area is a frequent destination for hunting, calling on hunters to exercise caution regarding their surroundings and target backstops, according to FOX 12 Oregon.

Church is survived by five children. His daughter Shy remembered her father as “one of a kind” and said that he “loved his children more than anything in the world,” the local station reported.

In an online GoFundMe campaign titled “Easing the Burden for Robert’s Family,” Shy described the emotional and financial strain following the incident.

“His death was sudden, shocking, and impossible for our family to prepare for,” she wrote. “Robert’s life was taken because someone who was hunting was not mindful and shot toward a home.”

Shyanne wrote that Church’s father was raising two foster children and covering cremation expenses, but could not manage the surrounding costs.

“My grandpa is covering Robert’s cremation, but he cannot afford the many other costs that come with losing someone so suddenly,” she wrote.

The campaign has collected $2,412, surpassing its $1,000 target. Money from the fundraiser will cover moving and storage fees for Church’s belongings, travel costs for relatives, memorial expenses and food for the family.

Detectives are asking anyone who was present on Springer Road on the evening of October 10 to contact the sheriff’s office. Investigators are specifically seeking details on parked vehicles, people observed with a deer, audio of gunshots, or any home surveillance or trail camera recordings.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Linn County Sheriff’s Office Detective Derek Klein at 541-967-3950.