By Rick Bella, The Oregonian, Jan. 14, 2013

A tense, five-hour standoff with a heavily armed, suicidal Hubbard-area man ended early Monday when the man was shot by a Clackamas County SWAT team member.

The man, Paul Jeffrey Smith, was wounded in the arm. He was rushed by ambulance to Silverton Hospital, where he was treated and released — then immediately arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and menacing.

Lt. James Rhodes, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office spokesman, said Smith, 45, periodically approached windows on his home near South Meridian and Whiskey Hill roads, holding various weapons.

“The attempted murder charge stems from him pointing a firearm at a deputy with the intention to shoot,” Rhodes said. He said investigators have not determined whether Smith fired at deputies surrounding his house.

The standoff began shortly after 9 p.m. Sunday, when emergency dispatchers received a report of an armed man making suicidal threats. A special weapons and tactics team and a hostage negotiating team were dispatched to the man’s home.

Rhodes said negotiators tried repeatedly to contact Smith, who refused to come out. Rhodes said negotiators also tried “loud-hailing” with megaphones.

“Repeated calls were made,” Rhodes said. “Whether they connected still has not been determined.”

Meanwhile, other residents of the property were safely evacuated.

Rhodes said a SWAT team member was placed on paid administrative leave, according to sheriff’s office protocol after officer-involved shootings. The shooting is under investigation by detectives from the sheriff’s office and other Clackamas County police agencies.

The SWAT team member’s name was not released.

Smith is being held without bail in the Clackamas County Jail, where he has been placed on suicide watch. He is scheduled to be arraigned in Clackamas County Circuit Court Tuesday on charges of attempted murder and menacing.

Rhodes said the menacing charge stems from a domestic dispute in Smith’s home.

Rhodes said the sheriff’s office is seeking information about Smith and the incident. Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s confidential tip line at 503-723-4949. Confidential text messages can be sent to CRIMES (274637 on a cell phone keypad), with the keyword “CCSO” as the first word in the message.