By Zane Sparling, Catalina Gaitán
oregonlive.com
OREGON CITY, Ore. — Two sheriff’s deputies responding to a burglary call were shot about 7 a.m. Friday near Southeast Johnson Creek Boulevard and Bell Avenue in unincorporated Clackamas County, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office said.
The deputies have been taken to OHSU Hospital, where “they’re recovering,” said sheriff’s office spokesperson Brian McCall. One deputy appears to have been shot in the torso and the other in the arm, according to a broadcast of Clackamas County law-enforcement scanners.
The sheriff’s office said two suspects are in custody.
Debbie Whitney said she was lying in bed waiting for her kids to get up when she heard a 10-second-long barrage of loud bangs early Friday morning. The 36-year-old initially dismissed the sounds as fireworks set off for a premature Fourth of July celebration, until she went outside and saw police blocking off Johnson Creek Boulevard.
The realization unnerved Whitney, who said she frequently uses the Springwater Corridor Trail to get to work.
“The bike trail is awesome for riding because it’s super flat, but it’s like a highway for underground nightlife,” she said. “That’s extremely dangerous. And especially with this huge fentanyl craze, it’s dangerous everywhere.”
Whitney estimated that she heard more than a dozen shots fired in rapid succession.
The crime scene perimeter along Johnson Creek Boulevard includes a large car-auction business, a marijuana testing laboratory and other industrial uses. Police activity appeared to be focused near Precision Castparts Corp., building and several single-family home nestled next to the industrial lots.
McCall said he didn’t know which property was allegedly being burglarized, or whether it was a business or residence.
A woman who lives near where the shooting happened said she heard “Pop, pop, pop” sounds around 7:15 a.m. She didn’t know what the sounds were until she went out to a local market and encountered police swarming the area.
She said violence and crime are getting too close for comfort.
“There’s always something happening,” she said. “It’s not safe.”
Another local resident said she was on Bell Avenue on her way to work shortly before 8 a.m. “when the cops came blowing by me. I went to Starbucks, and when I came out everything was blocked off from the corner market to a parking lot for a marijuana shop.”
Part of the Springwater Corridor trail in an industrial area off Johnson Creek Boulevard has been closed. The area includes Bell Station Market and a sprawling car-auction business. Precision Castparts Corp. is also located nearby.
Bicyclists headed for the Springwater Corridor path were being turned around and redirected.
McCall said he didn’t know which property was allegedly being burglarized, or whether it was a business or residence.
The Clackamas County Major Crimes Team is in charge of the investigation into the shooting. Various law-enforcement agencies responded to the scene, including the local FBI.
Joy Jiras, an FBI Portland spokesperson, said FBI agents were there in a “support capacity.”
”It’s customary for us to show up on the scene for something like this,” Jiras said. “We will assist if (local law enforcement) have any needs.”
Oregonian/OregonLive reporter Tom Hallman contributed to this report.
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