Suspect armed with knives prompts NW Portland police standoff; officers ‘disengage’ after 4 hours

Police said an armed suspect prompted evacuations from Northwest Portland businesses on Monday evening, and people in the area of Northwest 21st Avenue and Irving Street were being told to shelter in their homes.

After about four hours, however, police backed away.

Events unfolded around 6 p.m. when police said they spotted a person who had an arrest warrant. “The suspect immediately used pepper spray on the officers and lunged at them with a knife before running off,” police said.

Officers then used a Taser on the unidentified suspect and less-lethal munitions, but that didn’t stop the person from escaping to a restaurant near Northwest 21st Avenue and Irving Street.

Police said around 8:30 p.m. that the suspect was “contained” to the restaurant.

“Officers trained in enhanced crisis intervention are on scene and attempting to work with the suspect, who is still armed,” police said.

By 10 p.m., the Police Bureau said officers decided to “disengage.”

“Although the suspect was armed with two large knives and a large can of pepper spray, the incident commander determined that the threat to the public had dissipated, and the suspect’s aggression was only towards officers on scene,” police wrote in a news release. “After officers backed away, community members checked on the suspect and have given him food and money.”

— Beth Slovic is an editor on the public safety and breaking news team. Reach her at 503-221-8551 or [email protected].

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