PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland police said that officers from the agency's gun violence unit shot and critically injured a suspect during an exchange of gunfire in the Roseway neighborhood on Friday night.
Officers originally responded to a call near the intersection of Northeast 78th Avenue and Northeast Mason Street shortly before 9:15 p.m., categorized as a "suspicious subject, vehicle, or circumstance." That grew to include 28 police units after shots rang out.
According to Portland Police Bureau (PPB) statement issued early Saturday morning, two officers from the Focused Intervention Team (FIT) were on patrol when they pulled a driver over for "multiple violations."
"During the encounter the suspect was shot," PPB said. "An initial report that an officer had been shot was not accurate and no officer was injured."
PPB released an updated statement Saturday afternoon, saying that detectives had confirmed that there was an exchange of gunfire between the suspect and four FIT officers during the stop, though it was still not entirely clear how it happened.
One of the officers initially believed that he had been shot, but PPB said that he was assessed and had not actually been hit. Police seized a semi-automatic handgun at the scene.
The suspect was taken to a hospital in an ambulance with life-threatening injuries. Police have not publicly identified him beyond saying that he was an adult man.
The four officers involved in the shooting were Officer Adi Ramic, a 12-year veteran of PPB, Officer Michelle Petty, a 5-year veteran, Officer Whitney Anderson, a 3-year veteran, and Officer John Bartlett, a 5-year veteran.
PPB said that investigation of the shooting was handed over to the Portland police homicide unit, per agency policy. Detectives were just arriving at the scene around 11:30 p.m.
Police estimated that investigation of the scene could take several hours Saturday morning as detective collected evidence and interviewed witnesses. Northeast Mason Street was closed between Northeast 77th and 80th. Northeast 78th and 79th were closed between Skidmore and Sandy.
Portland police Chief Chuck Lovell is out of state, PPB said, and Acting Chief Mike Frome had briefed the Mayor's office about the shooting.
"I'm grateful that no officers were injured," said Acting Chief Mike Frome, who responded to the scene. "There is a lot to be learned about what took place, and I respect the investigative process."
Under PPB's use of force review process, the agency said it would conduct an internal review of the incident — from the initial response to the resources requested, tactics used, and post-shooting actions.
The case will go before the Police Review Board, which includes community members, PPB members, and representatives from the Independent Police Review Division.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Detective Jeff Sharp at Jeff.Sharp@portlandoregon.gov, 503-823-9773, or Detective Rico Beniga at Rico.Beniga@portlandoregon.gov, 503-823-0457, and refer to case number 22-120339.