A Washington Country Sherriff’s Deputy shot multiple times Wednesday morning while serving an eviction notice at Forest Rim Apartments is in critical condition after being life-flighted to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland, according to the Washington County Sherriff’s Office (WCSO).
Sherriff Pat Garrett, speaking outside the hospital during an afternoon press conference, called the yet unnamed deputy “a complete professional,” characterizing him as both compassionate and tenacious.
The suspect was found dead inside the apartment after barricading themself inside the apartment for several hours during a standoff that closed the area around the complex at Southwest Nyberg Street and Southwest Nyberg Lane for several hours, as Tualatin police asked that people avoid the area.
Sherriff’s deputies arrived at the complex around 9:30 a.m. At 10:21, deputies reported they were fighting with someone they were trying to detain inside the apartment. Seconds later, they said the person was firing on them and had hit a deputy multiple times in the body.
Southwest Nyberg Street was closed from Southwest 65th Avenue to I-5 for several hours while the suspect remained barricaded inside the complex next to the Nyberg Woods Shopping Center on the east side of Interstate 5.
Shortly after 1 p.m., the sheriff’s office said there was no longer a threat to the public. WCSO Detective and Public Information Officer Anel Ceric announced in a 1:45 p.m. press conference outside of Legacy Emmanuel that Washington County SWAT officers had found the suspect dead inside the apartment.
Ceric said deputies were unaware the suspect might be armed when they arrived. At least one deputy returned fire at the suspect, but Ceric was unsure if the suspect was hit.
SWAT officers did not shoot the suspect, he added, but gave no further information on the cause of death.
Ceric did not release the names of the suspect or the wounded deputy, who was undergoing surgery with family members present at the hospital at the time of the press conference.
Officers from multiple agencies helped evacuate residents during the standoff, he said.
The Washington County Major Crimes team, with Beaverton Police Department acting as the lead agency, is investigating.
