PORTLAND — A Portland firefighter was among three men arrested and accused of kidnapping a person at gunpoint in downtown Portland on Saturday night.
Douglas Bourland, 46, Hong Dieu Lee, 42, and Edward Simmons, 24, were all lodged in the Multnomah County Jail on three counts of first-degree kidnapping, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. Lee was additionally charged with assault and unlawful use of a weapon. It wasn’t immediately known if they have lawyers to comment on their behalf.
Bourland is a firefighter with Portland Fire & Rescue. A fire department spokesperson told the newspaper Bourland had been on leave before the arrest, but would not say why.
Portland Fire Chief Sara Boone said she was “gravely concerned” by the details of the arrest.
Officers responded around 10:30 p.m. Saturday after someone reported seeing someone who appeared to be forced into a car at gunpoint by three people, and driven away.
Officers stopped a car about an hour later and eventually arrested three people, police said.
Police and medics found the victim the next morning in Clackamas County. Portland Police Lt. Greg Pashley didn’t say whether the victim had sustained injuries, but said the person didn’t need to be taken to a hospital.
Police said they believe the victim knew the suspects, but didn’t provide information on their connection.
According to court documents, Bourland was released on his own recognizance Monday. The other two asked to be released, but as of Monday afternoon a judge had not granted their release.
