Armed Suspect Taken Into Custody After Climbing Into Portland Store Shelves to Evade Arrest

PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland Police Bureau (PPB) officers assigned to East Precinct arrested 41-year-old  Michael Harper Monday after Harper- armed with a knife and hatchet- confronted a security officer at a retail store located in the 9800 Block of Southeast Washington Street, and then ran into the store and hid.

Responding to reports of a disturbance with a weapon on Monday at about 10:29 a.m., PPB officers assisted in evacuating the store, and officers searched the premises.  They found Harper- armed with a knife- up in the second-story shelving of an area in the back where extra inventory is stored.

Enhanced Crisis Intervention Team (ECIT) officers initiated an active dialogue with Harper, which was then taken over by personnel assigned to the Crisis Negotiation Team. At 4:01 p.m., Harper dropped the knife and was taken into custody.

Harper, of Portland, was charged with Attempted Assault II, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and Assault IV, and booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center. The Major Crimes Team, which also attended the scene, will continue the investigation.