Members of the Portland Police Bureau Detective Division's Homicide Detail, East County Major Crimes Team, and Multnomah County District Attorney's Office continue to investigate Wednesday morning's hostage situation and officer-involved shooting in Southeast Portland.
The suspect who held a woman hostage Wednesday and was shot by an officer during the attempted negotiation has been identified as 30-year-old Samuel E. Rice of Portland. The Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office determined Rice died of a gunshot wound.
The Portland Police Bureau member involved in the shooting is Officer Kelly VanBlokland, a 24-year-veteran of the Police Bureau, who is currently assigned to the Training Division and detached member of the Special Emergency Reaction Team. VanBlokland will remain on paid administrative leave, as is standard procedure, until the conclusion of the investigation.
At this time, investigators have learned the Police Bureau has previously contacted Rice multiple times and recently the Police Bureau's Behavioral Health Unit attempted to link Rice and his girlfriend to services. Although Rice had declined the Behavioral Health Unit's assistance, the officers provided Rice's care providers with information about his recent behavior. Officers have transported Rice to area hospitals on multiple occasions in the past for treatment of perceived mental illness.
Officers responded to the area near the Del Rancho Motel, located at 7622 Southeast 82nd Avenue, on the report of two people fighting.
When officers arrived they learned one of the suspects reportedly involved in the fight was armed with a knife and had attempted to stab another person. As officers investigated the incident, they determined a person matching the suspect's description entered a room at the Del Rancho Motel.
Officers responded to the Del Rancho Motel and learned the suspect was in a room at the motel holding a woman hostage. As officers attempted to contact the suspect, the suspect threatened the life of the woman that was inside the motel room.
Members of the Special Emergency Reaction Team and Crisis Negotiation Team responded to assist with the incident. Rice was killed when officer VanBlokland fired a single shot.