A mob gathered in Portland, Oregon’s Lloyd District Thursday night to demonstrate against an officer-involved shooting in the area earlier that left a suspect dead, the police said.
Some individuals threw items at officers, the Portland Police Bureau reported. One demonstrator tried to grab an officer’s baton and another officer was reportedly sprayed with a chemical when he tried to intervene.
The department clarified on Twitter that the suspect was an “adult white male,” citing “erroneous” information circulating on social media. No one else was injured in the incident.
At least one officer had their tires slashed and a window broken, police said.
Police said some people also tried to enter the cordoned-off area where the shooting took place.
Police Chief Chuck Lovell said in a video posted on social media, “Our officer encountered a very difficult and dynamic situation that no officer wants to face. I want to thank all our members who responded to the scene as well as those who were out taking emergency calls in the city. I’m thankful and proud of their efforts.”
He added the bureau was “committed to a full, thorough and complete investigation” of the incident.
The officer will be placed on administrative leave, pending an internal investigation as per protocol and will be identified on Friday, the bureau said in a release.
The suspect may have been attempting to stab another person in the parking lot of a Motel 6 when an officer shot him in the back, KOIN-TV reported, citing a witness.
The officers had responded to the motel for a welfare check on the suspect.
