A Lincoln City police officer is in critical condition after he was shot during a traffic stop on Highway 101 Sunday night in Lincoln City, and a massive manhunt for the suspect continued Monday along the Oregon Coast near Waldport.
The initial traffic stop and shooting took place on the south end of Lincoln City--firing at officers continued in the Newport area--and after a spike strip was successful, the suspect fled on foot north of Waldport near mile post 153, said Newport Police Chief Mark Miranda at a press briefing.
Miranda said investigators feel their suspect is still in the area and that SWAT teams from across Oregon are alternating shifts as they go house-to-house looking for footprints or unfastened windows.
Initially deemed a person of interest, Miranda said the registered owner of the SUV--David Anthony Durham, 43--is "probably the suspect."
Oregon State Police confirmed after the press briefing that Durham is the suspect in the shooting and search.
Durham is described as 6-foot-3, 160-185 pounds, and is believed to be traveling with his dog, an Australian blue heeler named 'Huckleberry.'
Authorities are not looking at any other suspects, according to Miranda, and citizens should call 9-1-1 and not approach Durham if spotted, saying further that police would respond to the scene in an armored vehicle.
"What concerns me the most is we have an individual that's proven he's violent," said Miranda.
Sometime around 3:30 a.m., the suspect fired shots at a boater in Alsea Bay, mistaking the boater for a police officer, said Miranda. The bullet hit the boat and shrapnel hit the boater.
The sequence of events began just after 11 p.m. Sunday when
Lincoln City Officer Steven Dodds pulled over a 1984 Dodge sport utility vehicle for speeding on Highway 101 near the south end of Lincoln City, said Gregg Hastings, an OSP spokesman.
During the stop, the driver shot Dodds more than once then fled south on the highway, according to police.
Newport Police spotted the suspect but the man was able to elude officers as he fired several rounds, damaging police cars, but not injuring any officer.
An off-duty deputy who lives near the highway was called to quickly deploy the spike strip, which stopped the suspect's car, beginning the ground portion of the pursuit. The suspect fled west from Highway 101 towards the ocean, which is in the Hidden Lake area.
Law enforcement officials have made at least two reverse 9-1-1 calls to area residents to warn them of an armed and dangerous man in the vicinity.
Miranda said residents are not in immediate danger as long as they lock their homes, saying there are a lot of SWAT personnel in the area.
"This guy's probably gone to the ground some place," said Miranda. "If he were on the move we'd be getting more reports."
Portland area law enforcement officials converged on Durham's Sauvie Island residence Monday morning, and Miranda said a Portland Police aircraft is assisting with the search near the ocean.
Dodds was initially transported to North Lincoln Samaritan Hospital and then transferred by LifeFlight to Legacy Emanuel Hospital where he remained in critical condition Monday evening.
The search for the suspect prompted the cancellation of classes and activities Monday at Waldport schools.
When asked if law enforcement would capture their suspect, Miranda appeared confident and quickly replied "Oh yeah."
"We're gonna get him--one way or another--we're gonna get him," he said. "It's just a matter of time."
