On October 15, 2025, Syrena Waldron called 9-1-1 to report that 32-year-old Trae Blackbear had forced his way into her apartment on Onyx Street and refused to leave. By the time police were dispatched, Waldron told the dispatcher that Blackbear had left the apartment and was walking away. Chief Hamilton was the first officer to respond. He found Blackbear near the covered bridge on Main Street and began speaking with him. From the start, Blackbear was uncooperative, he refused to give his real name, acted agitated and argumentative, and even gave a false identity when questioned. Chief Hamilton explained that he was investigating a possible forced entry, but Blackbear denied doing anything wrong and said he had already left when asked. While this was happening, Officer Slagle was also responding to the call. He spoke with Waldron on the phone, who clarified that no forced entry actually occurred, but confirmed that Blackbear refused to leave earlier. She also provided Blackbear’s real name, which Officer Slagle relayed to dispatch. When dispatch radioed that name, Chief Hamilton realized Blackbear had lied about his identity. After dispatch confirmed that Blackbear had an active extraditable warrant out of California for a parole violation related to sexual assault, the officers confronted him again.
When Officer Officer Slagle told him he was under arrest, Blackbear questioned the reason, and as Chief Hamilton prepared his Taser, anticipating resistance, Blackbear suddenly reached into a backpack, pulled out a knife, and attacked Officer Slagle. The assault led to a struggle and a police shooting, during which Blackbear was fatally struck after repeatedly refusing commands and re-grabbing his knife. Officer Slagle then went to his police car to retrieve medical gear to render aid to Blackbear, while Chief Hamilton stood by with Blackbear. Officer Slagle attempted to render aid to Blackbear at that time, but was unfortunately unsuccessful due to the extent of Blackbear’s injuries. Medical personnel was able to quickly respond to the scene within minutes, but Blackbear had already succumbed to his injuries. Officer Slagle was taken to the hospital for medical treatment and released that day. As a result of Blackbear’s knife attack Officer Slagle had a puncture wound in his right upper arm that required stitches, as well as a laceration to the right forearm. Blackbear’s knife was seized as part of the investigation. The blade of the knife was approximately 5” long. A Jackson County Grand Jury determined this week that Eagle Point police Chief Jim Hamilton and Officer Marc Slagle were “fully justified” in an Oct. 15 shooting of Trae Andrew Blackbear, according to the Jackson County District Attorney’s office.
