Trial begins in 2022 fair incident

The trial of Rafael Gomez, the alleged shooter at the 2022 Jefferson County Fair, began this week, after many postponements. Gomez, 32, is charged with nine counts of unlawful use of a weapon, first-degree theft, felon in possession of a firearm and four counts of attempted murder.

Shortly before 5 p.m. July 22, 2022, Gomez allegedly reached into an unlocked pickup and took an AR-15 rifle. A Madras man, Dan Comingore, witnessed Gomez by the vehicles and saw him pull the weapon out. Comingore called out that Gomez had a weapon, then he and four other men pulled their handguns on Gomez, and they were situated between Gomez and the interior of the fairgrounds. Witnesses say Gomez then slipped through a fence and ran to the Towne Pump gas station at the corner of Fairgrounds Road and U.S. Highway 97.

Two employees there, Ken Corbin and Dean Staten, say Gomez pointed the rifle at them and pulled the trigger, but the gun jammed.

Gomez then ran across the street and headed northward, witnesses say, and he shot at Sheriff Pollock and Deputy Witherow as well as Officer Joshua Roth, who were pursuing. Gomez then entered the KFC/A&W restaurant. As he did, the officers shot and injured Gomez. Gomez was treated at the scene and eventually charged and lodged in the Jefferson County Jail. Authorities had released Gomez from the same jail one day before the shooting took place.

The charges of attempted murder are for allegedly shooting at or attempting to shoot Corbin and Staten the Towne Pump attendants as well as Sheriff Pollock, Deputy Witherow and Officer Roth.

The trial was continued and rescheduled five times and assigned a new attorney twice before it began on Sept. 23, 2024. The state’s exhibit list includes photos of the truck the gun was taken from and the gun, overhead views of the fairgrounds, video surveillance of the Towne Pump Gas Station and the Cruz-In Carwash, bodycam footage from police and calls by the defendant from jail.

The trial is expected to last five days.