A rural Oregon City property turned into an hours-long gun battle scene last weekend after a man opened fire on tree removal workers, sprayed bullets at a sheriff’s surveillance drone, and then tried to flee the standoff on a garden tractor, only to be pinned against his own house by a SWAT armored vehicle.
The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called to South Rocky Bluff Lane in rural Oregon City just before 2:30 p.m. on August 29 after neighbors reported that 53-year-old Erik Gordon Shunn was shooting at a crew hired to cut down trees near his property. Witnesses initially told investigators Shunn had fired roughly 20 rounds at the workers, but detectives later determined the true total was far higher.
Investigators now believe Shunn fired more than 200 rounds during the confrontation, according to the sheriff’s office, including shots aimed directly at the tree crew and, later, at a drone deputies launched to monitor the property from above. Aerial footage recorded by the sheriff’s office camera shows Shunn turning his rifle skyward and unloading a barrage of gunfire at the aircraft as it hovered over the yard.
Tractor Chase Ends the Standoff
As the standoff dragged into the afternoon, SWAT commanders watched for an opening. They got one when Shunn set down his rifle and climbed onto a compact garden tractor, apparently attempting to drive away from the property. Deputies said that moment gave them the best chance to take him into custody without anyone else getting hurt.
A SWAT armored vehicle rammed the tractor from behind, according to video released by the sheriff’s office, pinning the machine against the side of Shunn’s house and bringing the slow-speed escape to an abrupt stop. Deputies took Shunn into custody at around 3:45 p.m., roughly an hour and 15 minutes after the first shots were reported.
No one was hurt in the gunfire or the ramming maneuver, deputies said, despite the workers and a passing drone both coming under direct fire. Shunn faces charges that include attempted murder, attempted assault, and unlawful use of a weapon, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office.
What Prompted the Shooting
Investigators have not publicly detailed what set Shunn off against the tree crew working near his home, and the sheriff’s office said the case remains under investigation. The property sits along South Rocky Bluff Lane in a wooded, sparsely populated stretch of unincorporated Clackamas County southeast of Oregon City.
Video of the standoff, including the drone footage of Shunn firing skyward and the SWAT vehicle ramming the tractor, was released by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office and has circulated widely on local television newscasts across the Portland metro area.
Sources
KPTV · KTVU FOX 2 · KPTV
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