On Wednesday, July 26, 2023, at 12:35 a.m., officers from the Portland Police East Precinct responded to a report of an armed robbery in the 3400 block of Northeast 82nd Avenue. It was reported that the suspect also took a woman hostage and escaped from the location in a small sport utility vehicle. Officers in the area began searching for a vehicle matching the description.
At 2:34 a.m., the woman who was taken hostage called into dispatch to report the incident. The woman reported that she had been dropped off in Gresham and that it was her car the suspect had taken. The suspect was last seen headed west, back towards Portland. Gresham Police officers and Multnomah County Sheriff deputies assisted in searching for the vehicle. At 2:54 a.m. a Multnomah County deputy saw a car matching the description in the area of Northeast Blue Lake Road and Northeast Marine Drive. The deputy reported that the vehicle had driven back westbound on Northeast Marine Drive.
A Portland Police Bureau K9 Sergeant was in the area of Northeast 158th Avenue and Northeast Sandy Boulevard where they located the suspect vehicle driving west. The sergeant attempted to stop the vehicle, but the suspect continued, and a pursuit began. The suspect drive to the area of Northeast 141st Avenue and Northeast Sandy Boulevard where he ran from the vehicle. The sergeant arrived shortly after, and suspect fired his weapon as he continued to run. The sergeant took cover in his patrol vehicle but was able to provide a last known direction of travel for the suspect as responding officers began to set a perimeter.
While officers were setting up the perimeter, another set of shots could be heard. The Special Emergency Reaction Team (SERT), Crisis Negotiation Team, Air Support Unit, and drone pilots were called in to begin a search of the suspect. Multnomah County deputies and Gresham Police officers assisted with the perimeter.
The Air Support Unit located a heat source in a parking lot where the suspect was last seen. It appeared, from the air, to be a person lying down. A drone was flown closer to where the person was to provide information to SERT officers. SERT officers, using an armored vehicle, moved in closer to where they could confirm it was the suspect. The suspect appeared to have suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The suspect was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries where he later passed away at. He is identified as Michael A. Story, 53, of Portland. The medical examiner has notified his next of kin.
The woman who was taken hostage was transported to an area hospital for evaluation. Additional investigation revealed that the victim was sexually assaulted by the suspect.
The Portland Police Bureau Sergeant who may have been shot at was not injured. No police officer or deputy used deadly force during this incident. No additional information was released by officials at this time.
Source: PPB
