Oregon hospital shooting leaves security guard dead, suspected gunman killed by police

Oregon police confirmed that a Portland hospital security guard was shot and killed after a person opened fire inside the medical center Saturday morning.

The shooting suspect also died, police confirmed.

The Portland Police Department said officers responded to “threats inside the hospital” around 11 a.m. (PDT) at Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital. The suspect was armed with “at least one firearm,” police said.

The shooting occurred on the fifth floor of the hospital near the birthing unit, Sgt. Kevin Allen said in a news conference Saturday evening. 

Police also confirmed in a press release that the suspect had fled the scene after the shooting, and that the Special Emergency Reaction Team (SERT) and the Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) responded to the surrounding areas.

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The hospital remained in lockdown as police searched for the suspect. Police first thought the suspect had fled to a nearby Fred Meyer grocery store, which they evacuated and searched before clearing the building.

“We are not sure the suspect was ever there,” Allen said.

Police from the surrounding area made a “tactical effort” to locate the suspect, who they determined was in a vehicle.

Portland East Precinct and Gresham police officers stopped the suspect in the vehicle in Gresham. SERT and CNT officers responded to assist with the stop, as did Multnomah County Sheriff’s Deputies, police said. 

During the suspect’s standoff with police, shots were fired by police and the suspect was killed, police said. No officers were injured.

The hospital security guard who was shot was transferred to a Level 1 Trauma Center, where he died despite additional lifesaving treatment efforts, police said.

Jonathan Avery, the hospital’s chief operating officer, called the shooting “an extremely scary situation.”

“We really want to make sure that folks do not come to Good Samaritan today until everything has been cleared and we’re back and open,” Avery said.

Following the incident, Portland Police Department Chief Chuck Lovell praised hospital staff and law enforcement for their coordinated effort.

“This is a sad day for the staff at Legacy Health, and our hearts go out to the family, friends, and coworkers of the employees affected by today’s tragedy,” Lovell said. “By all accounts, hospital staff and law enforcement did great work responding to this incident, and I’m grateful for the coordinated efforts by all.”