Gresham Police have made an arrest in their investigation of an officer shot in the arm by a pellet gun during an unrelated traffic stop on 187th Ave south of Stark Street in Gresham.
Thursday night, two Gresham police officers were performing a traffic stop of an uninvolved motorist when one of the officers was struck in the arm by a projectile which penetrated his skin.
The officer was taken to the hospital and it was determined the projectile was likely from an air gun. The severity of the injury is unknown at this time and the officer has been released from the hospital. The uninvolved motorist from the traffic stop was not injured and released shortly after the shooting.
The location of the shooting suspect was determined to be across the street from the traffic stop, in a travel trailer.
East County SWAT and police detectives assisted patrol officers with the investigation and after several hours of negotiation, the suspect surrendered to police without incident.
The suspect has been identified as 44-year-old Gresham resident Michael Lee Hart.
Gresham detectives are also investigating the connection between Hart and a similar air gun shooting incident that occurred on April 24 at about 7:36 p.m., at the same location. In that case, officers responded to reports of an 11-year-old boy shot in the back. While the incident was under investigation, a suspect had not yet been identified. Based on the investigations, Hart is being charged with both shootings.
Hart was lodged at Multnomah County Detention Center on two counts of Assault in the Second Degree and one count of Assault on a Public Safety Officer.
Police are interested in talking with any witnesses from either incident. Please call the Gresham Police Department tip line at 503-618-2719 if you have any information.