Man shoots himself while struggling with police at Portland International Airport
Portland OR Sept 29 2019
A man apparently shot himself inadvertently while struggling with a police officer over a gun at the Portland International Airport baggage claim Friday morning, police said.
The handgun belonged to the man, and the Port of Portland officer involved never fired, said Port of Portland Police Chief Jason Wallis. The injured man is expected to survive, and the officer suffered apparent minor injuries.
Neither person has been identified by police. Part of the baggage claim was closed temporarily, and the airport’s lower-level roadway outside the area was reopened to all vehicle traffic around 2 p.m.
No flights have been affected.
Wallis said the officer approached the man in the baggage claim area a little before 5 a.m., the man pulled out the gun, and the two fought over control of it.
Wallis declined to reveal more information about the incident, such as why the officer approached the man.
About 7:40 a.m., a small assortment of items could be seen on the sidewalk outside the baggage claim area, including clothing and what appeared to be a gun and handcuffs.
The center of the scene appeared to be at the pickup location for Delta, Spirit and Hawaiian airlines flights.
Aside from closures around the scene, the shooting didn’t appear to significantly hinder airport operations. Departures-level traffic wasn’t overly busy, and travelers could move throughout the airport without significant inconvenience.
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