PORTLAND, Ore. — Officers shot a man during an armed confrontation after they responded to a report of him trying to set a car on fire in Southeast Portland, according to Portland police.
The man is under arrest and being treated for a gunshot wound.
A large number of Portland fire and police units were dispatched to the scene near Harrison Park and Portland Community College Monday morning. The college and Harrison Park School both went into lockdown.
The lockdowns were lifted around 11 a.m., and police later confirmed the incident did not involve and students or school property.
At a press conference, Portland police's public information officer Nathan Sheppard stated that police were dispatched just before 9 a.m., and the suspect was not cooperative when they confronted him. PPB said that the man was armed.
Police opened fire at the man during the confrontation, Sheppard said, although he said he could not confirm how many officers fired or how many shots were fired. The man was hit by the gunfire but survived and "remained uncooperative," PPB said.
The man initially fled the scene, prompting the Portland Police Bureau’s Special Emergency Reaction Team to be activated, and police later convinced him to surrender. He was taken into custody and is in the hospital, Sheppard said.
The vehicle fire could not be extinguished, and it eventually consumed the vehicle and then burned itself out, he said.
PPB's homicide unit has taken control of the investigation, which police said is still in its early stages.
A large area on the east side of Southeast 82nd Avenue near Harrison Street was roped off with caution tape Monday morning, and smoke could be seen coming from somewhere within the perimeter. One person was seen being loaded into an ambulance at around 10:30 a.m.
Loudspeakers at Portland Community College's Southeast campus broadcast a message warning about an active threat, and the college's Twitter account posted a message stating that the campus was on lockdown, and a spokeperson for Portland Public Schools confirmed Harrison Park School was also on lockout.
At least one nearby resident reported receiving an emergency shelter-in-place alert from Multnomah County, urging nearby residents to stay indoors until further notice, and said they could also hear a message being broadcast on a loudspeaker.
PCC posted another message at about 11 a.m. stating that the lockdown had been lifted, and Multnomah County reportedly sent a follow up message at about 11 a.m. stating that the police activity had ended.
The college later sent out a message to students and faculty stating that the Southeast campus would remain closed (but not locked down) for the rest of the day due to the disruption, with on-campus classes and activities cancelled.
Investigators believe there were witnesses who may have information about the events that led up to the shooting but who left the scene and have not yet talked to police, PPB said. They're asked to contact Detective Meghan Burkeen at Meghan.Burkeen@police.portlandoregon.gov and 503-823-2092, or Detective Brian Sims at Brian.Sims@police.portlandoregon.gov and 503-823-4033, reference case number 22-298161.