PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A suspect was arrested for allegedly firing shots in North Portland’s Cathedral neighborhood on Friday and starting a fire on the balcony of the apartment complex authorities had surrounded.
At 5 p.m., the Portland Police Bureau announced the suspect had been taken into custody and a firearm was secured. Police first responded to the area around 2 p.m. after they said they received reports of the suspect firing off shots in the area. PPB says the suspect was in a mental health crisis.
There were no injuries reported. The area was still blocked off as fire crews extinguish the blaze at the Schrunk Riverview Tower Apartment building on North Syracuse Street, police say. The apartment complex was one of two buildings officers had surrounded. Residents of two units were evacuated.
Before the suspect was taken into custody, nearby residents were asked to shelter in place. Residents of two units were evacuated. The area closure included North Ivanhoe Street to North Edison Street, North St. Louis Avenue to North Pittsburgh Avenue.
Police say said the situation was an extreme public safety concern and that the suspect barricaded himself in the apartment and officers witnessed the person holding a rifle. He also allegedly fired the gun multiple times and was throwing objects off the balcony. A short time later, authorities said he began to light items of fire from the balcony.
“The fact that he’s in an elevated position really increases our concern. Any time somebody has a gun and is firing shots in the neighborhood, that’s concerning, but when he’s higher up, he has access to more potential victims,” said Sgt. Kevin Allen with PPB. “Every time we approach a situation like this where we have someone who is armed we always want to proceed as slowly and carefully as possible.”
The fire began to fully engulf the balcony around 5 p.m., PPB said. Portland Fire & Rescue responded and was able to extinguish the flames around 5:30 p.m. Officials say there was smoke and water damage to multiple units, but residents of undamaged units were released to go back into the building.
The suspect was taken to the hospital as a precaution.
Neighbors tell KOIN 6 it was terrifying not knowing what was going to happen next.
“I was at work and my neighbor texted us that they were sheltering in place and I just thought there was a manhunt or something,” said Barry Cochran, who’s lived nearby in the Cathedral Park Neighborhood for about five years. “My wife is inside and I’m concerned, it sounds like it’s pretty scary.”
Neighbors also say the trouble started the day before. Debra Harris has lived in the tower for more than 20 years and says her husband was inside when the fire started. She says more should’ve been done to help the suspect when he first started experiencing any distress before things escalated.
“Ladders and tables and chairs. Mental state, people have mental problems,” said Harris. “It should’ve been done yesterday. People are on oxygen in there, my husband is on oxygen.”