On Aug. 14, LOPD responded to a domestic dispute call that ended in one death and the burning down of a house at 700 Timberline Drive. The caller, a woman who lives in Lake Oswego, reported that she was being abused by her boyfriend and that she had fled her house for safety. Her boyfriend, the suspect, was in the house and had barricaded himself inside. LOPD and Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), as well as other agencies, such as West Linn Police and Tualatin Police, responded. The police quickly surrounded the suspect and attempted to make contact; however, the suspect was irate and acting unpredictably.

The police then contacted the suspect by phone, working with him to come out peacefully; however, the suspect repeatedly threatened to shoot officers and remained inside as a barricaded incident. As the police were negotiating, the suspect claimed that he was going to light the house on fire, and soon after, officers saw smoke rising from the house and contacted LOFD, Tualatin Valley Fire Rescue, Portland Fire and Rescue and American Medical Response. 

Tragically, the suspect perished in the house fire. LOPD has yet to release the name of the suspect, and is working with community groups and other agencies to minimize the impact on the community. Overall, this incident is a rare occurrence in Lake Oswego and represents a notable flashpoint of violence in the area.