HOOD RIVER, Ore. (AP) — A man who allegedly fired gunshots Thursday in a busy area of Hood River and then barricaded himself in his house for hours is in custody, according to police.
The man was safely taken into custody with the help of multiple agencies Thursday night, according to the Hood River Police Department. Police said at that time that neighbors could return to their homes.
“Thank you all for understanding as these types of situations can be exhausting and complex,” police wrote in a Facebook post.
An initial law enforcement bulletin Thursday afternoon warned of an “active shooter” near a Dairy Queen in the small city along the Columbia River Gorge.
A caller had reported a “dangerous situation” in a home around 12:40 p.m. that had the potential to escalate, police said in a statement Friday. Responding officers met with the caller, who said his 42-year-old son, Simeon Hill, was a combat veteran with access to firearms and that he had fired a gun in the home shortly before police arrived, police said.
As police talked to the man’s father, they heard several shots fired from inside the residence and over their heads in the direction of nearby businesses, police said.
Nearby schools were locked down and one school and several businesses were evacuated. Residents were sent alerts to shelter in place as multiple agencies, including Oregon State Police and members of Clackamas County SWAT, then responded, police said,
After hours of negotiation, Hill came out of the house and surrendered Thursday night, according to police.
Hill was eventually taken to a medical facility, police said.
Police seized guns and ammunition from the home, and charges including reckless endangering, disorderly conduct and unlawful use of a weapon were forwarded to the county district attorney’s office for consideration, police said.
