Gresham Homicide Investigation Leads to Fatal Officer-Involved Shooting

GRESHAM, Ore. — A homicide investigation in Gresham led to a fatal officer-involved shooting in southeast Portland on September 24, after police identified a suspect in the killing of a 60-year-old man.

Gresham police officers responded to a welfare check at a residence in the 17900 block of SE Market Street, where they found 60-year-old Jeff Thompson dead from a gunshot wound.

Gresham Police Department detectives and members of the East County Major Crimes Team responded to investigate the death.

Investigators used a combination of traditional investigative methods and technology to identify a suspect. Police said the investigation included information from public safety cameras recently installed in and around Vance Park, as well as data from automatic license plate reader systems.

The Gresham Police Department said the cameras were installed in Vance Park and other high-activity areas to help deter crime and assist investigators. The department also uses automatic license plate reader equipment manufactured by Motorola, which police said is authorized under Oregon Senate Bill 1516.

Detectives later located the suspect near a motel in southeast Portland and requested assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force.

During an attempt to take the suspect into custody, the suspect fled, and an officer-involved shooting occurred. The suspect was killed during the shooting, and Portland Police Bureau K9 Kylo was fatally wounded.

The Gresham Police Department and East County Major Crimes Team are leading the investigation into Thompson’s death.

Anyone with information about the homicide is asked to contact the Gresham Police Department tip line at 503-618-2719.

The Portland Police Bureau is investigating the officer-involved shooting. Anyone with information about the shooting who has not already spoken with police can email homicidetips@police.portlandoregon.gov and reference case number 26-279642.