Portland Police officers seized eight guns early Friday, after receiving reports that a man with symptoms of mental illness was armed and firing a gun.
Roommates called police to a home on the 3300 block of Southeast 84th Avenue, just before 2 a.m. Police learned that the 34-year-old man had a shotgun and possibly two handguns. They first tried to talk to the man on the phone but he would not answer the calls.
Outside the house, officers heard shots fired inside the house, but determined that the man was not shooting out of the house or threatening to shoot anyone. Because the man was alone in the residence and officers had made no contact they decided to wait and contact the man at a later time. One officer remained in the area to monitor the situation.
At around 4 a.m., officers saw the man run out of the house to a house across the street. Residents of that house called 9-1-1 to report that the man told them that intruders were inside his home.
A team of officers returned to the scene and when the man left the neighbors' house, police gave him commands to come out of the house and walk towards them with his hands up. An officer could see the man holding a handgun in his right hand and police gave him commands to put the gun on the ground. The man complied and continued to follow police commands until he was safely taken into custody.
After he was taken into custody, the man thanked police officers and asked officers to catch the intruders in his home. Officers transported the man to an area hospital for a mental health evaluation.
Officers recovered five rifles, two handguns and a shotgun from the home along with a significant quantity of ammunition.
Inside the home, officers located several bullet holes to interior walls but no evidence that any of the bullets traveled outside the home to any neighboring residences.
Police want the public to know that mental health support is available through Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare at an urgent walk-in clinic, open from 7:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., 7 days a week. Payment is not necessary.
If you or someone you know needs help with suicidal thoughts or is otherwise in an immediate mental health crisis, please visit Cascadia or call (503) 963-2575.
Lines for Life is available 24 hours a day at (503) 972-3456.