Overview of Active Shooter Attack
A gunman killed two people and himself after opening fire in a food court on the second floor of the Clackamas Town Center in a suburb of Portland, Oregon on Tuesday. Another victim is currently in serious condition at a local hospital. During a press conference this afternoon, the Clackamas County Sheriff revealed the shooter’s identity as 22-year-old Jacob Tyler Roberts. Officials confirmed that Roberts utilized an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle that was stolen from someone he knew. Roberts wore a white hockey mask and black clothing. He was also wearing a load bearing vest, not bulletproof as previously reported, with several loaded magazines.
Roberts entered the mall Tuesday afternoon through the Macys department store and quickly proceeded to the food court where he started shooting. Authorities have yet to determine how many shots were fired, with estimates ranging from 20 to 60. For a brief moment during the attack, the gun jammed but the shooter was able to resume shortly after. It is believed that Roberts’ third victim was shot while he was making his way toward a back corridor. Roberts entered a nearby stairwell and walked downstairs, where responders found him dead from a self-inflicted gun wound. Authorities conducted sweeps of Roberts’ residence and car, but have not yet released their findings.
Officials still have yet to find a motive for the attack for the active shooter at the Portland Mall, but revealed new information regarding the timeline of events.
- The first 911 calls were made at 3:29 PM and responding teams comprised of various law enforcement agencies arrived on the scene a minute later.
- The mall quickly implemented a lockdown procedure and hundreds of shoppers evacuated.
- By 3:51 PM, the victims and the gunman were found by responders.
- It took several hours for four SWAT teams to clear the mall as many workers and shoppers remained hidden following the attack.
Implications
The active shooter was likely intending to strike more than his three victims as he was carrying several loaded magazines. A number of factors contributed to the relatively low number of casualties of this attack when compared to recent, high-profile active shooter attacks. Aside from the brief weapon malfunction, the rapid response by the varying agencies was key to the resolution of the incident. Local authorities learned from past active shooter incidents not to wait for specialized response units as swift action is crucial to mitigating the threat. The responding law enforcement teams were well-prepared and familiar with the mall’s layout after conducting emergency response training at the facility earlier this year. Additionally, the Clackamas Town Center had a pre-planned lockdown procedure that was successfully executed.
Security teams are advised to coordinate in advance with local authorities to allow them to familiarize themselves with your facility. Organizations should also have their own emergency action plans including an employee training element on how to respond in the event of a workplace violence or active shooter situation.
Contact MSA Security Today to learn more about Active Shooter Response Training.