According to authorities, a man who opened fire in Portland’s Old Town district was involved in a police standoff Wednesday afternoon after he took control of a TriMet bus and refused to get off.
According to a police spokesperson, the individual was by himself inside the halted transit car after dropping the pistol out of an open window.
At least a dozen officers could be seen standing behind the bus, which was halted just west of the Steel Bridge at Northwest Glisan Street and Third Avenue, according to footage obtained at the scene at roughly 1 p.m. At the front of the car was a figure wearing a white jacket.
As cops attempted to persuade the man to leave the bus, announcements were played over a loudspeaker.
An officer called out, “Perhaps we can convince you to go to the hospital.” We can assist you if you open the doors.
Tara Faul, a local photographer, reported seeing a man going through a mental health crisis on Wednesday when she was distributing blankets in the neighborhood. Faul reported that after five or six shots were fired, the man rushed onto the bridge and stood in the center of the lane, waving down a bus.
She claimed that as they opened the door and he rushed inside, everyone on the bus suddenly started fleeing in a panic down the street.
According to Mike Benner, a police spokeswoman, the alleged shooter ordered passengers off the bus but insisted that the operator give him a ride. According to the spokesperson, they returned to the neighborhood, and the man let the driver escape.
According to Benner, the Portland Police Bureau’s current priority is to safely and amicably take the suspect into custody because this must have been a scary circumstance for all parties concerned.
According to dispatch data, there are at least 20 units on the scene. The area’s streets are closed.
TriMet reports that police activity has caused disruptions to MAX light rail service. The transit agency’s spokeswoman declined to comment further.
This article was written by Tatum Todd, a writer at Oregonian/OregonLive. There will be updates on this breaking news story.
For The Oregonian/OregonLive, Zane Sparling reports on court proceedings and breaking news. You may contact him at [email protected], 503-319-7083, or pdxzane.
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