Portland, OR. — A tense standoff at an Portland retail store ended peacefully Monday afternoon after an armed suspect who had confronted a security officer was taken into custody by Portland Police.
Officers from the Portland Police Bureau’s East Precinct were dispatched at approximately 10:29 a.m. on July 21, 2025, to a store in the 9800 block of Southeast Washington Street following reports of a disturbance involving a weapon. According to police, a man armed with a knife and a hatchet threatened a store security officer before fleeing into the building.
Responding officers assisted with evacuating the store and began a search. The suspect was eventually located hiding in the second-story shelving area where extra inventory is kept. He was reportedly still armed with a knife at the time.
Trained officers from the Enhanced Crisis Intervention Team (ECIT) engaged the suspect in dialogue, and later, members of the Crisis Negotiation Team took over negotiations. After nearly six hours, at 4:01 p.m., the suspect dropped the knife and surrendered peacefully.
The suspect has been identified as 41-year-old Michael Harper of Portland. He was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of Attempted Assault in the Second Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and Assault in the Fourth Degree.
The Major Crimes Team responded to the scene to continue the investigation. The security officer involved was treated at the scene for minor injuries and did not require hospitalization.
About the Author
