Albany’s normally sleepy civic core turned tense Monday morning as Albany City Hall and the Linn County Courthouse went into lockdown while police dealt with a person barricaded inside a vehicle near downtown.
Officers moved quickly to secure the area, setting up a perimeter and warning residents and visitors to steer clear of the blocks around 4th Avenue while they worked to stabilize the situation. According to KATU, law enforcement advised the public to avoid the area of 4th Avenue and Ellsworth along with the intersection of 4th and Lyon streets as they contained the scene, where a person had reportedly barricaded themselves inside a car and a multiagency response was underway.
Multiple agencies on scene
Albany Police were joined by deputies from the Benton County and Linn County sheriff's offices and troopers from the Oregon State Police, creating a sizable law enforcement presence around City Hall. KVAL reported that a multiagency command post was set up near the government buildings, while KATU shared dispatch audio and a photo credited to Kim Halchishick that captured officers clustered near the scene.
What residents should know
Officials did not immediately say what sparked the lockdown and noted that more details would come once information could be confirmed. Per the KVAL update, people in the downtown blocks around 4th Avenue were urged to avoid the area until authorities issued an all clear.
Anyone in the vicinity is advised to follow official Albany Police and Linn County Sheriff communication channels for verified updates and to stay away from the scene until it is declared safe.
