Salem, OR. — Official Release: The Salem Police Department is conducting an officer use of deadly physical force investigation from an incident that occurred earlier today near the security gate at the Governor Ted Kulongoski Army Aviation Training Center off Turner Road in Salem, Oregon, on February 27, 2025.
The incident began when the Oregon State Police responded to an individual who provided a threatening note to the guard stationed outside the airfield. Specifically, the computer aided dispatch report available to the responding Trooper stated that a “male subject is at the guard shack in the front handed a note to RP [reporting party] saying I will give you 10 minutes to decide, something about laying down arms[.] This is the second time subj [subject] has appeared at the loc [location] in the last 3 days[.]” The trooper contacted the suspect outside the guard station. A confrontation ensued and shots were fired.
The suspect’s open knife was located at the scene. A photograph of the knife is attached to this release.
The suspect has been identified as Matthew Walter Wong, 22, of Salem, Oregon. He was declared deceased at the scene. At the time of his death, Mr. Wong had an active warrant for his arrest in Marion County Circuit Court case 24CR12276 for Unlawful Use of a Weapon.
The Marion County District Attorney’s Office, in coordination with the Salem Police Department, has contacted next of kin and are providing the decedent’s family services through a Marion County District Attorney’s Office family support liaison.
No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.
The involved law enforcement officer is Oregon State Police Senior Trooper Justin Oxenrider. He has been a Trooper with the Oregon State Police for 18 years. Senior Trooper Oxenrider is a K9 Trooper and his K9 partner was present and in the Trooper’s vehicle during the incident, however his K9 partner detects explosives and is not used for enforcement purposes.
In accordance with Marion County’s Law Enforcement Intentional Use of Deadly Physical Force Response Plan (“SB111 plan”), which outlines investigatory standards for deadly force investigations, the Salem Police Department was requested to conduct the use of deadly force investigation because they were not involved in the incident. Salem Police detectives are working with the Marion County District Attorney’s Office to complete the investigation.
Once the investigation is concluded it will be sent to the Marion County District Attorney’s Office for presentation to a Grand Jury. No further information will be released at this time to preserve the Grand Jury’s official inquiry, and all future information will be released by the Marion County District Attorney’s Office after the presentation to the Grand Jury.
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