PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Police Bureau (PPB) has released the name of a suspect who was shot and killed by a Clackamas County Sheriff's deputy after officers said he began attempting to carjack other drivers on Wednesday following a chase and crash on Interstate 205.
Wesley S. Chance, 32, was known to police as having a history of possessing firearms and body armor, and was a suspect in a domestic violence case, according to a Friday PPB news release.
The Clackamas County Sheriff's office responded just after 10 p.m. Wednesday to a report of an unwanted person in the 18000 block of Southeast Addie Street, north of Gladstone. Chance was reported to be at the scene.
Deputies located Chance's green Subaru Outback as it was leaving the site and attempted a traffic stop, according to the news release, but he ignored them and continued driving away at high speed, leading to a car chase that continued onto northbound I-205.
A deputy reported seeing Chance wave a handgun out his window at police during the chase, according to the press release. In radio traffic calls retrieved by KGW, a deputy can be heard saying, "He's got a gun, got a gun. Everybody back off he's got a gun."
A deputy used spike strips to try to stop the vehicle near the Highway 212 overpass, according to the press release, which flattened one the car's tires but did not slow it down.
Deputies continued following the driver as he neared Portland, according to radio traffic. At one point, a deputy is heard saying, "I do not want to get into a deadly force up into Portland. Can we see if there are any Portland cars that can engage this?"
Deputies requested assistance and Portland officers were dispatched at 10:26 p.m. to assist. Chance's vehicle crashed and rolled near the Southeast Market Street overpass while Portland police were still en route, according to the PPB news release.
Chance ran from the wrecked vehicle and jumped the freeway median. He was armed and began confronting people in vehicles driving on I-205 southbound.
"He's running with a handgun in his hand," said a deputy over the radio calls. "He's under Market Street trying to carjack people," the calls continued followed by "Shots fired."
In an email to KGW on Thursday, Portland Police said it was a Clackamas County Sheriff's deputy who shot the man, and the Friday press release confirmed one deputy used deadly force.
Chance was pronounced dead at the scene. No officers or deputies were injured. The Portland Police Homicide Unit responded to investigate. The sheriff's office has not yet identified the deputy involved.
Authorities closed the freeway in both directions between Southeast Stark Street and Division Street Wednesday night. All lanes were reopen by 5 a.m. the following morning.
The Oregon State Medical Examiner's office conducted an autopsy and confirmed Chance died from a gunshot wound.
The investigation is still active, and PPB is seeking out witnesses. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Detective Erik Kammarer at erik.kammerer@portlandoregon.gov or Detective Michael Greenlee at michael.greenlee@portlandoregon.gov.
KGW Reporter Pat Dooris contributed to this report.