Grand Junction, CO - On August 18, 2026, approximately 9:15 a.m., officers with the Grand Junction Police Department responded to a report of a male shooting a suspected pellet gun at another individual near Watson Island East.
Through investigation, officers determined two adult males were walking near the Watson Island disc golf course, when one of the males shot a pellet air rifle toward disc golfers in the area. Officers saturated the area along Watson Island and south of the Colorado River and deployed a drone in an attempt to locate the suspects. With the utilization of the drone, officers identified the suspects walking with two dogs, one carrying a rifle. One of the suspects fired the rifle towards the drone, and the other suspect downed the drone with a rock and concealed the drone in his backpack.
Officers were able to locate the suspects in a tent along the Colorado River, east of the 5th Street bridge and south of Watson Island. Officers recovered a pellet air rifle and drone and took the suspects into custody.
40-year-old Matthew Cook was transported to the Mesa County Detention Facility where he was booked on the following charges:
Menacing
Reckless Endangerment
31-year-old Brandon Ray was arrested and transported to the Mesa County Detention Facility where he was booked on the following charges:
Criminal Mischief
Theft
Obstruction
There were no known injuries sustained in this incident.
The Grand Junction Police Department is grateful for the quick reports into dispatch. The investigation into this incident remains ongoing, and there is no additional information available at this time.