Medford police have identified 38-year-old William K. Triplett of Medford as the suspect in Wednesday’s shooting on the south side of Hawthorne Park.

Triplett, who was detained Wednesday without incident, is lodged in the Jackson County Jail without bail on charges of first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon and felon in possession of a firearm. His arraignment was set for 1:45 on Thursday in Jackson County Circuit Court.

Police responded just after 1:30 p.m. Wednesday to multiple reports of a shooting near the Bear Creek Greenway in the area of 8th Street, according to a Thursday news release from the Medford Police Department. A police community service officer was nearby on the Greenway at the time of the shooting and relayed information to responding officers, Medford fire and Mercy Flights personnel, the release said.

“Based on witness accounts, and a description provided of Triplett who has extensive facial tattoos, he was arrested adjacent to Hawthorne Park in the area near Tinseltown and the Medford Center, within 15 minutes,” according to police.

Court records reveal a handful of charges against Triplett, including first-degree theft in September 2022 for a “one-wheel electric board valued at 1,000 or more”; misdemeanor charges in March 2023 for discarding refuse within 100 yards of state waters; and misdemeanor unlawful possession of methamphetamine in January.

The shooting victim, who is in critical condition and has not been identified, was transported to a local hospital and later airlifted to Portland for advanced medical care, police said.

The investigation has so far determined that Triplett and the victim were known to one another and had been involved in a verbal dispute, which escalated into a physical confrontation and the shooting, according to the release.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Medford police and reference case no. 25-7557.