Oregon State Police troopers gunned down a person who allegedly stabbed two Springfield Police Department officers on Gateway Street in Springfield Wednesday, July 30. Springfield Police said officers responded to a “disorderly subject” around 2:37 pm inside a business on Gateway Street, as reported by The Register Guard.
What we know so far
Police reported that on being contacted, the suspect “brandished two knives and threatened to fight the officer.” The individual went on to stab two officers when one cop called for cover, causing "significant injuries," SPD Lt. George Crolly said in a news release. Both Springfield Police officers were rushed to an area hospital, katu.com reported.
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Crolly added that “an officer-involved shooting” occurred when responding Oregon State Police troopers tried to make an arrest. The suspect died “despite attempts at life-saving measures,” the release said.
Following the incident, the area near Happy’s Car Wash off Gateway Street was blocked. Officers had police tape strung to contain the scene. Lane County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Sgt. Tim Wallace said at the scene that traffic will remain restricted for “several hours.”
Samantha Brophy, a manager at the Denny’s near the scene of the shooting, said she heard sirens responding to the area, and stepped outside to see what was going on. “It looked like 10 or 15 cops started running across from the hotel into the Happy’s Car Wash over there,” said Brophy, “and then you heard like a ‘pop, pop, pop, and I knew it was gunshots of some sort and then a bunch of people were running.”
{{/usCountry}}Samantha Brophy, a manager at the Denny’s near the scene of the shooting, said she heard sirens responding to the area, and stepped outside to see what was going on. “It looked like 10 or 15 cops started running across from the hotel into the Happy’s Car Wash over there,” said Brophy, “and then you heard like a ‘pop, pop, pop, and I knew it was gunshots of some sort and then a bunch of people were running.”
{{/usCountry}}There is no threat to the public at the moment.
Officer-involved shootings are evaluated by a different police agency (in this case the Lane County Sheriff’s Office), as well as the county District Attorney’s Office, under Oregon law.