By Police1 Staff
PORTLAND, Ore. — An officer was critically injured and another wounded by shrapnel Sunday after a “distraught, suicidal 61-year-old man” opened fire on police.
According to Portland Chief Mike Reese, an officer knocked on a door in response to a call and was immediately shot through the door. After scrambling for cover, he called for backup, and one of the responding officers was shot in the abdomen by what was believed to be a rifle with a scope, according to The Oregonian.
That officer was rushed in for emergency surgery. He is currently in recovery and listed in critical condition.
According to The Oregonian, officers were able to defuse the standoff with the suspect, convincing him to surrender. He is currently in custody.
The two officers who initially responded were Central Precinct Officers Andrew Kofoed and Timothy Lowry. The bullet went through Kofoed’s pant leg but didn’t hit him, according to KPTV, but shrapnel hit his vest.
The following video discusses the suspect’s emotional condition as well as the improved health of one of the officers. A full release from the Portland Police Department can be seen below the video.
Here is the offical release from the Portland Police Bureau:
This morning, Sunday March 6, 2011, at approximately 9:15 a.m., Portland Police officers responded to a residence in the 3300 block of Southeast 10th Avenue on the report of a distraught, suicidal 61-year-old man.
Central Precinct officers arrived in the area and received additional information that the man might have guns stored in the garage, but there was no information that he was threatening to use them. The information officers received was that the man was threatening to hurt himself by taking pills.
Officers attempted telephone contact with the man who did not answer, so the officers walked up to the residence to make contact with him. At approximately 9:22 a.m., the officers were met with gunfire from inside the residence and one of the officers, a 9-year-veteran, received shrapnel to his ballistic vest and suffered minor injuries.
The officers retreated from the door and immediately began requesting cover officers to respond. The Special Emergency Reaction Team (SERT) and Hostage Negotiators were also requested to respond.
One of the responding cover officers from East Precinct arrived and was making an approach on foot towards the residence to assist with surrounding the house when the suspect fired at him, at approximately 9:34 a.m. The 13-year-veteran police officer was struck in the lower abdomen. Additional officers immediately responded to assist the downed officer. Officers fired cover fire towards the gunman while other officers performed an officer-rescue to remove the downed officer and get him to a safe location. The officer was transported by ambulance to Emanuel Hospital where he underwent surgery.
At this point, the officer is out of surgery and in recovery. He is listed in critical condition.
SERT and Hostage Negotiators arrived and immediately began developing a plan to secure the area and to make contact with the suspect. Negotiators talked to the suspect on the phone and convinced him to peacefully surrender to police. At approximately 10:34 a.m., the suspect exited the residence and surrendered to officers.
Detectives have now taken over the investigation and will remain in the neighborhood for several hours as they process the crime scene and conduct an investigation into today’s shooting.
No officer names will be released for at least 24 hours.
Updates on the investigation will be released as they become available.