A man was shot inside an apartment early Tuesday morning after police responded to reports of a man talking to himself, said Chief Ken Johnson of the Fairview police.
A Fairview officer fired several shots in the unit at 22719 NE Halsey, Johnson said. Two Multnomah County sheriff’s deputies also responded.
The man had mental health issues, according to his friend who made the 911 call.
The man was taken to the hospital. He was reportedly in serious condition.
“We’re not sure what transpired but our officer was forced to use deadly force and fire his weapon,” Johnson said.
A major crimes team responded to the scene. Johnson said information was still being gathered and he could not provide further details.
Johnson said recent population growth in the Fairview area has increased crime, putting a strain on the small police department that employs just 15 officers and has only one who patrols at night.
By Nina Mehlhaf, KGW News
Fairview cop shoots man who was ‘acting strangely’
Fairview Oaks-Woods Apartments
Fairview police were involved in an early morning shooting that sent one person to an area hospital, Chief Ken Johnson said.
Johnson said an officer was dispatched about 3 a.m. to 22719 N.E. Halsey St. for a welfare check when the shooting occurred. Two Multnomah County sheriff’s deputies responded to the call as well, the chief said.
“The call was basically an individual that was having some difficulty, talking to themselves, acting strangely,” Johnson said.
The chief said “a short time” after police encountered the person, the Fairview officer fired his weapon. The East Multnomah County Major Crimes Team is investigating the incident, which unfolded inside the apartment unit, Johnson said.
The shooting victim, who was not identified by police, remains in serious but stable condition, according to Johnson.
The name of the officer involved in the shooting was not released Tuesday. He was placed on administrative leave, a standard procedure in police-involved shootings.
At the time Johnson spoke to reporters about the incident Tuesday morning, the officer had not been interviewed by investigators.
A friend of person who was shot made the initial call to 911, Johnson said. The chief said he did not know if the man who was shot was armed.
Fernando San Luis, a resident of the Fairview Oaks-Woods Apartments complex, where the shooting took place, said the wounded man shot by police was a visitor to the community. San Luis said the complex is made up of two sprawling buildings — one called Woods, the other Oaks. Tuesday morning’s shooting took place at the Oaks building, he said.
It was the second Fairview police shooting in three weeks. A Fairview officer fired on a driver during a high-speed chase on Nov. 11. The driver, Richard James Rummery, was arrested and charged with two counts of assault, felony eluding, reckless endangerment and second-degree criminal mischief.
By Noelle Crombie, The Oregonian
Victim in Fairview police shooting was ‘shot several times’
A Fairview Police Department squad car is parked outside the Fairview Wood Oaks apartment complex following an officer involved shooting. (KOIN. Dec. 3, 2013).
An investigation is underway after a Fairview police officer shot a man several times early Tuesday morning following a confrontation at the Fairview Oak Woods Apartments.
The shooting occurred just after 3 a.m. at 22719 NE Halsey Street.
Fairview Police Chief Ken Johnson told reporters at a news conference that a Fairview police officer and two Multnomah County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the apartment complex for a welfare check.
“The call was a welfare check – basically, an individual was having some difficulties; talking to themselves, acting strangely,” Johnson said.
There was some sort of confrontation, and then the man was shot multiple times by the Fairview officer inside an apartment. The victim was transported to a local hospital. He is in serious, but stable condition, Johnson said.
No officers were hurt. The name of the officer who fired their gun was not released.
“We’re not sure what transpired yet,” Johnson said.
The shooting is being investigated by Fairview police, the East Multnomah County Major Crimes Team and the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office. Per standard protocol, the involved officer is on paid administrative leave. A grand jury will be convened to review the incident.
Johnson said the full investigation will take a couple of days. It’s not immediately known how many shots were fired. The officer who fired the weapon has been placed on standard paid administration leave pending the investigation, Johnson said.
During the news conference Johnson emphasized the struggle his department has had with limited resources.
“We’re a small jurisdiction,” Johnson said. “There is 15 of us total, counting myself.”
This was the second officer-involved shooting in Fairview this year.
“When I have only one officer on duty after 2 o’clock in the morning, it’s making it extremely difficult for us to continue to keep our officers safe.”
By Brent Weisberg, KOIN News 6
Man shot by Fairview cops is serious but stable
A Fairview police officer who was checking on a report of a person “talking to themself and acting strangely” opened fire and wounded the person Tuesday morning.
The person shot is in “serious but stable condition,” said Fairview Police Chief Ken Johnson.
The officer was first called to the Fairview Oaks Apartment Complex on Halsey Street at 3 a.m.
Johnson would not elaborate on what transpired, but he said the officer “was forced to use deadly force” during the confrontation.
It’s unclear whether the person was armed with a weapon at the time. The officer was not injured.
The Fairview officer who responded to the call is the only officer on duty after 2 a.m., Johnson said.
“As growth spreads out east, our small city is having great difficulty keeping up with the influx of problems in our town,” Johnson said.
Two Multnomah County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to assist the Fairview police officer with the call.
The names of the officer and the person who was shot have not been released.
The East County Major Crimes Team is now investigating.