Oregon man accused of firing more than 200 rounds during SWAT standoff
Oregon man allegedly fires at tree workers, sheriff’s drones during standoff
This video shows Erik Gordon Shunn firing at a Sheriff's Office drone, followed by the pinning of his tractor by a CCSO SWAT vehicle. (Credit: Clackamas County Sheriff's Office)
OREGON CITY, Ore. - A 53-year-old Oregon man may have fired more than 200 rounds during an incident that began with gunfire directed toward tree workers and ended with a sheriff’s SWAT team taking him into custody, authorities said.
Oregon man fires more than 200 rounds during SWAT standoff
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Erik Gordon Shunn was arrested Aug. 29 after Clackamas County sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of an armed neighbor firing at workers cutting down trees in unincorporated Clackamas County near Oregon City.
Witnesses initially estimated that Shunn fired approximately 20 rounds at the tree-company employees. No injuries were reported. 911 callers also told dispatch they believed Shunn possessed several firearms.
SWAT officers arrested Erik Gordon Shunn, 53, after using an armored vehicle to pin the tractor he was driving near his home. (Credit: Clackmas County Sheriff's Office)
Sheriff’s investigators later determined that Shunn may have fired more than 200 rounds during the entire incident, including shots fired at the arborists and additional rounds fired into the air at a sheriff’s office drone that was being used to determine his location, according to an update released Wednesday.
After deputies arrived, they took positions around Shunn’s home and deployed drones while the county’s SWAT and crisis negotiation teams responded. First responders also checked on neighbors and tree workers to confirm their safety and evacuate them from the area.
What they're saying:
"Deputies arrived in the area, prepared a hasty team, took positions around the suspect's residence, and launched drones," Lt. Hayden Sanders, a public information officer for Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, said in a press release.
Authorities said Shunn was seen in the driveway using a tractor to knock down trees, apparently attempting to create a barricade. He also fired several shots at the sheriff’s drones, according to investigators.
Erik Gordon Shunn taken into custody
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SWAT officers took Shunn into custody shortly before 3:45 p.m. after he became separated from his rifle while driving the tractor near the front of his residence, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Officers then pinned the tractor with a SWAT vehicle, saying they believed the maneuver provided the best opportunity to safely apprehend him.
Shunn’s mother was inside the residence during the standoff and was not injured. Shunn was treated at the scene and taken to a local hospital for evaluation before being booked into the Clackamas County Jail.
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Shunn was arraigned Monday on charges including attempted murder in the second degree, attempted assault in the first degree, recklessly endangering, unlawful use of a weapon, menacing, unlawful possession of firearms, attempted criminal mischief in the first degree and interfering with a peace officer, according to the Sheriff’s Office. He is being held without bail.
The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information about the incident to contact investigators. Detectives are particularly seeking information about nearby property or vehicles that may have been damaged by gunfire, as well as from people who know or have had encounters with Shunn that could help investigators understand his criminal actions.
Authorities said people with information can contact the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 503-723-4949 and should reference case No. 26-017107.
The Source: The information for this story was provided by the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office. Press releases were provided on Aug. 29 and Sept. 2. This story was reported from Los Angeles.