Wanted Bandon man pulls a gun on Sheriff’s Deputy during K9 chase

Coos County Sheriff's Office

On June 22, 2023, at 10:37 a.m. Chief Cory Dhillon received information from the Coos County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center of Kyle R. Thompson’s (33) whereabouts. Bandon Police have been searching for Kyle as he has valid warrants for his arrest and has also committed new crimes. 

Chief Dhillon located Kyle and his vehicle, a black Dodge Caliber, and attempted to conduct a traffic stop with it. Kyle failed to yield and accelerated, driving down 11th Street toward Rosa Road. Chief Dhillon initiated a pursuit and continued chasing the vehicle down Rosa Road at speeds of 80 mph. Kyle turned onto Windhorst Lane and continued at a high rate of speed on the gravel road making it difficult for Chief Dhillon to see. Untimely, Chief Dhillon lost sight of the vehicle. 

Several members from the Coos County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police, and Bandon Fire responded to assist. After searching for a short time, Sgt. Slater from the Sheriff’s Office located the vehicle ditched in heavy brush at an address off Windhurst Lane. 

Sgt. Slater immediately deployed K9 Cena to conduct a criminal apprehension track for Kyle while the Coos County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center assisted by setting up a perimeter of other available units. 

K9 Cena tracked through “Brush,” however, that word does not give it justice, for about 300 yards. The “Brush” was so thick that moving this distance took approximately one hour. K9 Cena tracked deep into a drainage/creek area utterly overgrown with briars above, in, and on the sides. Sgt. Slater and K9 Cena continued to crawl on their hands and knees until they located Kyle hiding under a log in the creek. 

Upon contact with Kyle, Cena’s tracking line had become tangled, and she could not get over the log to assist Sgt. Slater. While on his hands and knees, Slater began giving verbal commands to Kyle, who subsequently pointed a black semi-automatic pistol at Sgt. Slater’s head. Sgt. Slater immediately dove to the left into blackberries. However, his legs were left exposed in the creek due to the confinement of the area. 

Once Sgt. Slater was able to fight the brush off his holster. He moved back into the creek and observed Kyle trudging through the brush to get away and Kyle was almost immediately swallowed up by the brush, making it impossible for Sgt. Slater to keep visual on him.

Sgt. Slater got Cena untangled, and they continued tracking for Kyle. Cena tracked for another 500 yards in thick “Brush” over the course of 3 hours; during the track, K9 Cena and Sgt. Slater were stung multiple times by bees, tracked down the middle of a creek, and slid down several drop-offs. 

Due to the day’s heat, terrain, and overall fatigue, Sgt. Slater called off the track at 3:30 p.m.

The Sheriff’s Office and the Bandon Police are actively looking for Kyle Thompson and now have probable cause for his arrest on the new charges of elude by vehicle, elude by foot, menacing, unlawful use of a weapon, and felon in possession of a weapon. 

Kyle Thompson is considered to be armed and dangerous. If you see him, please contact either the Bandon Police Department or Coos County Sheriff’s Office immediately at 541-396-2106.