'Shocking attack': Gresham police detail hotel stabbing, fatal officer shooting

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The Gresham Police Department is releasing more information about a fatal officer-involved shooting Tuesday night that was in response to what they called a “shocking attack” of someone being stabbed at a motel that left the victim in the hospital.

In response to a report of someone screaming for help at the Golden Knight Motel on E Powell Blvd, Gresham police said officers were dispatched shortly after 8 p.m. A second 911 call reported a person banging on their room door and “something being thrown through the window,” a release from Gresham PD said. 

Upon arrival, police said they saw a suspect armed with a knife “force his way into an occupied motel room.” The officers warned that force would be used if he did not obey orders to drop a knife, but the man would not comply, authorities said. When police followed the man into the motel room in order to protect the victim, the man with the knife was already “actively stabbing the victim.”

At that point, two officers shot at the suspect multiple times, police said.

The suspect died on the scene after being provided medical assistance by officers, authorities said. The victim, however, is expected to survive, despite sustaining multiple stab wounds and lacerations, police said.

The victim was given medical assistance by officers on the scene and was transported to a local hospital. The knife was collected as evidence.

Neither the suspect nor the victim have been publicly identified. Police said the officers involved were wearing body cameras at the time but the footage isn’t being released yet. 

The officers involved in the shooting, who did not sustain any injuries, also haven’t been named. However, police said the officers’ identities may be released later. Both of the involved officers, along with other officers who witnessed the incident, have been placed on critical incident leave, something police say is the standard policy in these situations.

“Whenever there is an officer-involved shooting, we know it impacts the families of those involved, the residents of our community, and our officers,” said Gresham Police Chief Travis Gullberg.  “We are grateful the victim survived this shocking attack and that our officers were not injured.” 

The incident is being investigated by the East Multnomah County Major Crimes Team with the assistance of the Portland Police Bureau. In addition, an internal investigation will be conducted into GPD’s use of force, per the department’s incident policies.