Is it still a 2AMer if the guy kills himself?

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN 6) – A city-wide manhunt that stretched well into the early hours of Wednesday morning came to a dramatic close, with the fleeing gunman likely taking his own life as a police plane flew overhead, the Portland Police Bureau has confirmed.

The search began after two patrolling PPB officers pulled into Shimmers Bar & Grill, a strip club in Southeast Portland. When they arrived, several people immediately went inside the bar.

According to PPB, one man exited the club, and when questioned by the officers, ran from the parking lot, pulled a gun and fired multiple shots at the trailing cops. Neither were injured, and the bureau says neither returned fire at the gunman.

A “City-wide, code three” response was put out around 11:20 p.m., prompting every available officer to assist in setting a perimeter around neighboring streets.

Officers heard noises around SE 79th and Raymond Street. “Air 1,” the PPB airplane that uses infrared technology, eventually spotted someone lying in the backyard of a home at the intersection.

Crisis negotiators tried using a megaphone to communicate with the shooting suspect, but received no response, according to bureau Sgt. Pete Simpson. Around 1 a.m. Wednesday, SERT officers deployed two less lethal rounds aimed at a fence next to the man.

Between the two rounds, officers reported hearing a muzzled gunshot. The flight crew in Air 1 reported seeing a flash consistent with a gunshot at the same time.

Soon after, Portland’s SERT team would find the man dead in the yard with injuries they believed to be from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A gun was recovered not far from the suspect.


Detectives with the bureau's Homicide Detail walk towards the crime scene to conduct an on scene briefing. (KOIN)
Detectives with the bureau’s Homicide Detail walk towards the crime scene to conduct an on scene briefing. (KOIN)

Portland Police block SE Foster Road after two officers were shot at late Tuesday night. (KOIN)


Portland Police officers brief after a suspect shot at an officer assigned to the Gun Task Force and a sergeant assigned to the Gang Enforcement Team (KOIN)


Officers say the shooter fled on shoot and was eventually found dead near Shimmers bar (KOIN).


Portland Police search SE Foster Road for evidence after a man shot at police. No officers were hurt. (KOIN)


Portland Police search for armed suspect that shot at police.


An AMR ambulance was brought to the scene to check out the officers and witnesses who were emotionally shaken up, police said. (KOIN)


Police used the SE Foster Fred Meyer parking lot as a staging area for homicide detectives and Gang Enforcement detectives (KOIN).


Police said the shooting happened at Shimmers Bar & Grill, which is a strip club in SE Portland. (KOIN)


Officers secured the entrance to the bar where the shooting happened. No officers were hurt. The suspect killed himself, police said. (KOIN)




Homicide detectives, with assistance from PPB’s gang unit, will be conducting the investigation into the man’s death. Neither his name, nor why he ran from the officers, has been released.

All roads were re-opened by 5 a.m.

Any witnesses to the incident who have not already talked to police should call 503.823.3333.

Individuals in the area who have some security cameras are asked to check their systems between 11:20 p.m. Tuesday night and 1:10 a.m. Wednesday to see if those systems recorded any evidence. Any potential video evidence should be reported to police by calling the above number.