UMVA has learned that a harrowing scene unfolded in a quiet Oregon neighborhood on Sunday, as a police officer was shot multiple times while responding to a domestic disturbance that left several people dead.
The chaos erupted in the 39000 block of Evans Street in Sandy, about 30 miles east of Portland, where officers from the Sandy Police Department and Clackamas County Sheriff's Office rushed to the scene just before 4 p.m. As they arrived, gunfire broke out, and police returned fire, striking one officer multiple times.
The wounded officer was airlifted to a hospital by Life Flight and is expected to survive, according to the Sandy Police Department. "The officer is in stable condition, and I'm extremely thankful that I can tell you that they are expected to survive," Sandy Police Chief Patrick Huskey said at a brief news conference on Sunday.
The domestic disturbance had turned deadly, with multiple victims deceased at the scene. Authorities have not released the number of victims or how they died, but the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office confirmed that the deaths are being investigated as a homicide.
The suspect had barricaded themselves inside the home, triggering a massive response from multiple law enforcement agencies and prompting shelter-in-place orders for nearby residents. After several hours, the suspect surrendered shortly before 8 p.m. and was taken into custody without injury.
The Multnomah County Sheriff's Office expressed its thoughts and support for the recovering officer, the homicide victims, their families, and the entire Sandy community. The agency is providing full support to the Sandy Police Department as investigators work to navigate the aftermath of the incident.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Sandy Mayor Kathleen Walker called the shooting an "unimaginable loss of lives" and urged residents to support victims' families and first responders. The community is reeling from the incident, which Walker said "reaches beyond the neighborhood where it happened" and "shakes our community to its core."
As the investigation continues, authorities have lifted the shelter-in-place order, and there is no ongoing threat to the community. The Sandy Police Department and other law enforcement agencies are working to piece together the events surrounding the deadly shooting.
