On a quiet night in the Piedmont Neighborhood, a situation escalated when a man began firing shots within a home, resulting in a tense standoff that fortunately ended without injury. According to a Portland Police Bureau release, at approximately 11:31 p.m. on Friday, officers were called to the 6100 block of North Moore Street after reports emerged of gunfire.
Neighborhood residents watched anxiously as the police established a perimeter and brought in additional resources, including a drone and a K9 officer to manage the situation. The suspect, later identified as 40-year-old Ryan L. Latin, had left the residence armed and began causing further commotion by breaking glass and banging on things with an object.
Utilizing the police Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), officers could track Latin's movements, observing as he climbed onto a roof and attempted to break into another house. Responding quickly, police evacuated the threatened neighbors and issued a shelter-in-place alert via the Public Alerts system, urging residents to keep their doors and windows locked.
Eventually, the suspect tried to conceal himself under some trash cans, seemingly in an attempt to evade drone detection. This tactic, however, only provided officers with more time to plan their approach. An Enhanced Crisis Intervention Team (ECIT) officer, specializing in crisis communications, engaged in dialogue with Latin. After protracted efforts, the man surrendered, coming out unarmed with his hands raised and taken into custody at around 1:10 a.m.
Further search of the scene uncovered evidence of gunfire inside the initial residence and the recovery of a handgun and live ammunition from a neighbor's yard. Following thorough inspections ensuring no one was harmed, the police cleared the scene and lifted the shelter-in-place order, allowing residents to return to their homes. Latin was subsequently hospitalized under a police hold, facing multiple criminal charges.
The Portland Police Bureau stresses the importance of the PublicAlerts system in keeping communities informed during emergencies. People are encouraged to sign up for this service to receive crucial safety information in times of crisis.
