PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Officers have apprehended the suspect who had instigated a nearly 24-hour standoff with police from Forest Park.
The Portland Police Bureau said officers with the Special Emergency Reaction Team (SERT) were able to safely take the man into custody just before 6 a.m. Sunday. He was taken to a nearby hospital for further evaluations.
Authorities later identified the man as 47-year-old Sean Katterle. He was cited for attempted burglary, criminal mischief, attempted assault on a law enforcement animal, and for being a felon in possession of both a restricted weapon and body armor, said police. The knife was recovered.
Hiking trails have been reopened, however, police officers will still be working near the intersection of the Wildwood and Lower Macleay trails.
5:00 a.m. Update
The standoff with an armed man who barricaded himself in a remote part of Foresrt Park lasted through the night Saturday and is still ongoing Sunday morning, according to the Portland Police Bureau.
Negotiators have offered water, food, changes of clothing and recorded messages from friends and family, however, the man has rejected all pleas from law enforcement.
“He continues to threaten with knives and claims he has a gun,” said PPB in a release Sunday. “No gun has been seen by officers, but there’s enough concern he could have a gun that officers have stayed at a safe distance.”
The suspect is also believed to be wearing body armor.
Police said the steep and rugged terrain–as well as the remote location–has made communications difficult. Given the circumstances, “force options” have also been attempted by police. Officers said they have used spray and impact munition, pepper balls, tear gas, and a 40mm less-lethal foam baton launcher. A K9 unit was also deployed but the man tried to stab the dog with one of his knives.
Northwest Cornell Road remains closed in the area of the Audubon Society, between Northwest 30th Avenue and Northwest 53rd Drive. Additionally, anyone in the area has been asked to avoid the south end of Forest Park until after the incident is resolved. Specifically, Wildwood and Lower Macleay Trails between Northwest Upshur Street (Lower Macleay Park) and Northwest Cornell Road.
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Portland Police have responded to a standoff situation where a burglary suspect accused of threatening multiple people and police officers with a knife has barricaded himself in a remote part of Forest Park.
PPB officers were dispatched to the 2800 block of Northwest Thurman Street just before 7 a.m. Saturday on reports that someone was trying to break into a home. The caller reported possibly hearing gunshots, police said.
A Short time later, officers located the man near the intersection of Lower Macleay Trail and Wildwood Trail of Forest Park. He produced two knives and began walking toward the officers.
“An officer deployed a less-lethal foam-tipped round and that stopped his advance, but he turned and ran, going down a steep embankment and stopping at what appears to be a campsite,” PPB said in a release Saturday. “Officers communicated with him from a distance and he claimed to have a gun and said he would shoot the officers.”
PPB said it believes the suspect is the same man who was the center of multiple calls this past week in the same area involving similar tactics.
In a Saturday afternoon update, authorities said they believe the man is in crisis. Officers from the Special Emergency Reaction Team (SERT) and the Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) are at the scene and still communicating with him.
The incident has forced a closure of Northwest Cornell Road at the Audubon Society, between Northwest 30th Avenue and Northwest 53rd Drive. Forest Park is closed on the south end during this incident. Specific closure area is Wildwood and Lower MacLeay Trails between Northwest Upshur Street and Northwest Cornell Road.
This is a developing story