A violent confrontation on Wednesday afternoon along Gateway Street has left a suspect dead and two Springfield police officers seriously injured, according to the Springfield Police Department.
The incident began around 2:37 p.m. on July 30, when officers responded to a report of a disorderly individual inside a business near Gateway Street and Beltline Road. When officers located the suspect near Gateway Street and Kruse Way, police say the individual brandished two knives and threatened to engage the officer in a fight.
Additional officers responded to assist. According to officials, during the escalating encounter, the suspect stabbed two officers, inflicting what authorities described as “significant injuries.”
As the situation intensified, officers from the Oregon State Police arrived on scene. During the arrest attempt, an officer-involved shooting occurred. Despite life-saving efforts by police and emergency medical personnel, the suspect succumbed to their injuries at the scene.
A video shared by local resident Maribel Brigido Aguirre captured part of the pursuit, showing officers chasing the suspect through a nearby car wash. What transpired inside the car wash remains unclear.
The injured officers were transported to a nearby hospital, and their current conditions have not been disclosed. Springfield Police have not yet released the identity of the suspect pending notification of next of kin.
The incident caused major traffic disruptions, with Gateway Street closed from Gateway Loop to Beltline Road. The northbound exit ramp from Interstate 5 to Gateway Street was also shut down during the investigation.
Raymond Mitchell, a local resident, commented on the chaos and law enforcement’s fast response. “It’s just a crazy world we live in,” he said. “But I’m glad to know the cops were there quickly — it makes me feel like my kids are safer.”
