Topline: A man accused of shooting two Portland police officers interrupted his arraignment with a political outburst, calling the case an “unconstitutional and illegal insurrection.”
Published: February 6, 2026 8:35 am ET
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Eric Floyd Oelkers' driver's license photo (via US Marshals Service of Oregon).
PORTLAND, OR — A weeklong search that locked down neighborhoods, drew in federal partners and left two Portland police officers wounded ended quietly the morning of Jan. 26, when tactical officers took 41-year-old Eric F. Oelkers into custody without incident in Northeast Portland.
Police say Oelkers was arrested around 7 a.m. during a coordinated operation in the 6400 block of Northeast 82nd Avenue involving the bureau’s Special Emergency Reaction Team and Crisis Negotiation Team, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, ATF, FBI, Oregon State Police, East Metro SWAT and the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office.
He was later lodged at the Multnomah County Detention Center on multiple felony charges, including two counts of attempted murder in the first degree, two counts of attempted assault in the first degree and two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, according to the Portland Police Bureau.
Police said a firearm was seized during a search of the area where he was arrested.
The arrest capped an investigation that began the night of Jan. 19, when officers assigned to North Precinct responded to a reported threat involving a weapon near Northeast 21st Avenue and Northeast Clackamas Street. According to police and court records, officers located a man matching the caller’s description on Northeast Clackamas Street between Northeast 16th and 17th avenues and attempted to detain him.
“Will you put your hands on the top of your head, please,” Officer Randy Stowe shouted, according to a probable cause affidavit cited by The Oregonian, which says body-worn camera footage captured the exchange. Instead, investigators allege, the man pulled a 9mm handgun from a tote bag and opened fire.
Stowe was shot in the upper thigh, while Officer Sebastian Dragomir was hit in the upper arm and grazed in the neck and ear, according to court documents. Both officers were transported to a hospital and initially listed in stable condition. PPB later said one officer was released the day after the shooting, and the second was released from the hospital the following week. Police say both are now recovering at home.
The shooting triggered an immediate and expansive police response. Officers sealed off much of the Sullivan’s Gulch and Lloyd District areas, blocking traffic, ordering residents to shelter in place and deploying air support, K-9 units, drones, negotiators and tactical teams as they searched for the suspect. Despite the perimeter, police said the gunman slipped away, prompting days of follow-up searches, public alerts and appeals for help.
As part of the investigation, PPB released surveillance images and warned the suspect should be considered armed and dangerous. Detectives also asked residents and businesses in a swath of Northeast Portland to upload doorbell and security camera footage from the hours surrounding the shooting, saying even seemingly routine video could provide critical leads.
One of those leads, according to court records and reporting by KATU, came from an employee at a nearby Park Shuttle ’n’ Fly facility. Iva Ivancheva told the station she recognized Oelkers from photos circulated after the shooting and contacted police, providing an image she had taken during a confrontation weeks earlier.
“First time I encountered the suspect was on Dec. 13 at approximately 11:15 p.m.,” Ivancheva said, describing an incident in which she returned to the lot to find a man confronting a coworker. She said the situation escalated and that the man pulled a gun before fleeing when she called 911.
A probable cause affidavit later noted that Ivancheva reported months of harassment involving damaged vehicles and confrontations at the lot, and that she had seen the same man on the night of the Jan. 19 shooting. According to the affidavit, a Portland police sergeant compared her photo with images of the shooting suspect and believed they appeared very similar, and her information helped investigators narrow where to look.
Police ultimately arrested Oelkers in a wooded area near Northeast 82nd Avenue, roughly six miles from the shooting scene, according to KATU. He was taken to Central Precinct for questioning before being booked into jail.
In court this week, Oelkers appeared for an arraignment on a 12-count indictment that expanded on the initial charges. According to The Oregonian, the indictment accuses him of attempted aggravated murder for wounding Dragomir and Stowe, first-degree assault, unlawful use of a firearm and being a felon in possession of a gun. Prosecutors also allege he recklessly endangered a 29-year-old man and menaced another man with a knife — identified in court records as the 911 caller whose report brought officers to the scene.
During the hearing, Oelkers launched into what The Oregonian described as a rambling, politically tinged tirade, interrupting the proceedings and refusing to cooperate with a public defender.
“This entire process is an unconstitutional and illegal insurrection,” Oelkers said. “Trump knows it. Trump’s coming.”
He continued to speak over court staff and Judge Leslie Bottomly, at one point referencing artificial intelligence and claiming authorities were using “neurological transmitters” against him. As he was led out of the courtroom, he shouted, “Have fun in hell!”
Court records show Oelkers has a lengthy criminal history, including federal and state convictions dating back decades. At the time of his arrest, he also had an open hate crime warrant related to the alleged vandalism of a Black-owned business in Salem in 2021, according to The Oregonian and KATU. He additionally had an active bench warrant stemming from a 2022 robbery case involving a Northeast Portland credit union, court documents show.
Police say the investigation into the Jan. 19 shooting remains open. Anyone with information who has not yet spoken with investigators is urged to contact the Portland Police Bureau’s Homicide Unit at homicidetips@police.portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-0479 and reference case number 26-18537.
Chief Bob Day and other officials addressed the case at a news conference following the arrest, with PPB publicly thanking partner agencies and bureau staff for what it described as “tireless work” and “unwavering dedication” that led to Oelkers’ capture.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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‘Trump Knows It’: Man Accused of Shooting Police Officers Interrupts Court With Political Rant
A man accused of shooting two Portland police officers interrupted his arraignment with a political outburst, calling the case an “unconstitutional and illegal insurrection.”
By Jacob Charles
Published: February 6, 2026 8:35 am ET
Eric Floyd Oelkers' driver's license photo (via US Marshals Service of Oregon).
PORTLAND, OR — A weeklong search that locked down neighborhoods, drew in federal partners and left two Portland police officers wounded ended quietly the morning of Jan. 26, when tactical officers took 41-year-old Eric F. Oelkers into custody without incident in Northeast Portland.
Police say Oelkers was arrested around 7 a.m. during a coordinated operation in the 6400 block of Northeast 82nd Avenue involving the bureau’s Special Emergency Reaction Team and Crisis Negotiation Team, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, ATF, FBI, Oregon State Police, East Metro SWAT and the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office.
He was later lodged at the Multnomah County Detention Center on multiple felony charges, including two counts of attempted murder in the first degree, two counts of attempted assault in the first degree and two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, according to the Portland Police Bureau.
Police said a firearm was seized during a search of the area where he was arrested.
The arrest capped an investigation that began the night of Jan. 19, when officers assigned to North Precinct responded to a reported threat involving a weapon near Northeast 21st Avenue and Northeast Clackamas Street. According to police and court records, officers located a man matching the caller’s description on Northeast Clackamas Street between Northeast 16th and 17th avenues and attempted to detain him.
“Will you put your hands on the top of your head, please,” Officer Randy Stowe shouted, according to a probable cause affidavit cited by The Oregonian, which says body-worn camera footage captured the exchange. Instead, investigators allege, the man pulled a 9mm handgun from a tote bag and opened fire.
Stowe was shot in the upper thigh, while Officer Sebastian Dragomir was hit in the upper arm and grazed in the neck and ear, according to court documents. Both officers were transported to a hospital and initially listed in stable condition. PPB later said one officer was released the day after the shooting, and the second was released from the hospital the following week. Police say both are now recovering at home.
The shooting triggered an immediate and expansive police response. Officers sealed off much of the Sullivan’s Gulch and Lloyd District areas, blocking traffic, ordering residents to shelter in place and deploying air support, K-9 units, drones, negotiators and tactical teams as they searched for the suspect. Despite the perimeter, police said the gunman slipped away, prompting days of follow-up searches, public alerts and appeals for help.
As part of the investigation, PPB released surveillance images and warned the suspect should be considered armed and dangerous. Detectives also asked residents and businesses in a swath of Northeast Portland to upload doorbell and security camera footage from the hours surrounding the shooting, saying even seemingly routine video could provide critical leads.
One of those leads, according to court records and reporting by KATU, came from an employee at a nearby Park Shuttle ’n’ Fly facility. Iva Ivancheva told the station she recognized Oelkers from photos circulated after the shooting and contacted police, providing an image she had taken during a confrontation weeks earlier.
“First time I encountered the suspect was on Dec. 13 at approximately 11:15 p.m.,” Ivancheva said, describing an incident in which she returned to the lot to find a man confronting a coworker. She said the situation escalated and that the man pulled a gun before fleeing when she called 911.
A probable cause affidavit later noted that Ivancheva reported months of harassment involving damaged vehicles and confrontations at the lot, and that she had seen the same man on the night of the Jan. 19 shooting. According to the affidavit, a Portland police sergeant compared her photo with images of the shooting suspect and believed they appeared very similar, and her information helped investigators narrow where to look.
Police ultimately arrested Oelkers in a wooded area near Northeast 82nd Avenue, roughly six miles from the shooting scene, according to KATU. He was taken to Central Precinct for questioning before being booked into jail.
In court this week, Oelkers appeared for an arraignment on a 12-count indictment that expanded on the initial charges. According to The Oregonian, the indictment accuses him of attempted aggravated murder for wounding Dragomir and Stowe, first-degree assault, unlawful use of a firearm and being a felon in possession of a gun. Prosecutors also allege he recklessly endangered a 29-year-old man and menaced another man with a knife — identified in court records as the 911 caller whose report brought officers to the scene.
During the hearing, Oelkers launched into what The Oregonian described as a rambling, politically tinged tirade, interrupting the proceedings and refusing to cooperate with a public defender.
“This entire process is an unconstitutional and illegal insurrection,” Oelkers said. “Trump knows it. Trump’s coming.”
He continued to speak over court staff and Judge Leslie Bottomly, at one point referencing artificial intelligence and claiming authorities were using “neurological transmitters” against him. As he was led out of the courtroom, he shouted, “Have fun in hell!”
Court records show Oelkers has a lengthy criminal history, including federal and state convictions dating back decades. At the time of his arrest, he also had an open hate crime warrant related to the alleged vandalism of a Black-owned business in Salem in 2021, according to The Oregonian and KATU. He additionally had an active bench warrant stemming from a 2022 robbery case involving a Northeast Portland credit union, court documents show.
Police say the investigation into the Jan. 19 shooting remains open. Anyone with information who has not yet spoken with investigators is urged to contact the Portland Police Bureau’s Homicide Unit at homicidetips@police.portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-0479 and reference case number 26-18537.
Chief Bob Day and other officials addressed the case at a news conference following the arrest, with PPB publicly thanking partner agencies and bureau staff for what it described as “tireless work” and “unwavering dedication” that led to Oelkers’ capture.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Latest Articles
‘Trump Knows It’: Man Accused of Shooting Police Officers Interrupts Court With Political Rant
A man accused of shooting two Portland police officers interrupted his arraignment with a political outburst, calling the case an “unconstitutional and illegal insurrection.”
By Jacob Charles
Published: February 6, 2026 8:35 am ET
Eric Floyd Oelkers' driver's license photo (via US Marshals Service of Oregon).
PORTLAND, OR — A weeklong search that locked down neighborhoods, drew in federal partners and left two Portland police officers wounded ended quietly the morning of Jan. 26, when tactical officers took 41-year-old Eric F. Oelkers into custody without incident in Northeast Portland.
Police say Oelkers was arrested around 7 a.m. during a coordinated operation in the 6400 block of Northeast 82nd Avenue involving the bureau’s Special Emergency Reaction Team and Crisis Negotiation Team, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, ATF, FBI, Oregon State Police, East Metro SWAT and the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office.
He was later lodged at the Multnomah County Detention Center on multiple felony charges, including two counts of attempted murder in the first degree, two counts of attempted assault in the first degree and two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, according to the Portland Police Bureau.
Police said a firearm was seized during a search of the area where he was arrested.
The arrest capped an investigation that began the night of Jan. 19, when officers assigned to North Precinct responded to a reported threat involving a weapon near Northeast 21st Avenue and Northeast Clackamas Street. According to police and court records, officers located a man matching the caller’s description on Northeast Clackamas Street between Northeast 16th and 17th avenues and attempted to detain him.
“Will you put your hands on the top of your head, please,” Officer Randy Stowe shouted, according to a probable cause affidavit cited by The Oregonian, which says body-worn camera footage captured the exchange. Instead, investigators allege, the man pulled a 9mm handgun from a tote bag and opened fire.
Stowe was shot in the upper thigh, while Officer Sebastian Dragomir was hit in the upper arm and grazed in the neck and ear, according to court documents. Both officers were transported to a hospital and initially listed in stable condition. PPB later said one officer was released the day after the shooting, and the second was released from the hospital the following week. Police say both are now recovering at home.
The shooting triggered an immediate and expansive police response. Officers sealed off much of the Sullivan’s Gulch and Lloyd District areas, blocking traffic, ordering residents to shelter in place and deploying air support, K-9 units, drones, negotiators and tactical teams as they searched for the suspect. Despite the perimeter, police said the gunman slipped away, prompting days of follow-up searches, public alerts and appeals for help.
As part of the investigation, PPB released surveillance images and warned the suspect should be considered armed and dangerous. Detectives also asked residents and businesses in a swath of Northeast Portland to upload doorbell and security camera footage from the hours surrounding the shooting, saying even seemingly routine video could provide critical leads.
One of those leads, according to court records and reporting by KATU, came from an employee at a nearby Park Shuttle ’n’ Fly facility. Iva Ivancheva told the station she recognized Oelkers from photos circulated after the shooting and contacted police, providing an image she had taken during a confrontation weeks earlier.
“First time I encountered the suspect was on Dec. 13 at approximately 11:15 p.m.,” Ivancheva said, describing an incident in which she returned to the lot to find a man confronting a coworker. She said the situation escalated and that the man pulled a gun before fleeing when she called 911.
A probable cause affidavit later noted that Ivancheva reported months of harassment involving damaged vehicles and confrontations at the lot, and that she had seen the same man on the night of the Jan. 19 shooting. According to the affidavit, a Portland police sergeant compared her photo with images of the shooting suspect and believed they appeared very similar, and her information helped investigators narrow where to look.
Police ultimately arrested Oelkers in a wooded area near Northeast 82nd Avenue, roughly six miles from the shooting scene, according to KATU. He was taken to Central Precinct for questioning before being booked into jail.
In court this week, Oelkers appeared for an arraignment on a 12-count indictment that expanded on the initial charges. According to The Oregonian, the indictment accuses him of attempted aggravated murder for wounding Dragomir and Stowe, first-degree assault, unlawful use of a firearm and being a felon in possession of a gun. Prosecutors also allege he recklessly endangered a 29-year-old man and menaced another man with a knife — identified in court records as the 911 caller whose report brought officers to the scene.
During the hearing, Oelkers launched into what The Oregonian described as a rambling, politically tinged tirade, interrupting the proceedings and refusing to cooperate with a public defender.
“This entire process is an unconstitutional and illegal insurrection,” Oelkers said. “Trump knows it. Trump’s coming.”
He continued to speak over court staff and Judge Leslie Bottomly, at one point referencing artificial intelligence and claiming authorities were using “neurological transmitters” against him. As he was led out of the courtroom, he shouted, “Have fun in hell!”
Court records show Oelkers has a lengthy criminal history, including federal and state convictions dating back decades. At the time of his arrest, he also had an open hate crime warrant related to the alleged vandalism of a Black-owned business in Salem in 2021, according to The Oregonian and KATU. He additionally had an active bench warrant stemming from a 2022 robbery case involving a Northeast Portland credit union, court documents show.
Police say the investigation into the Jan. 19 shooting remains open. Anyone with information who has not yet spoken with investigators is urged to contact the Portland Police Bureau’s Homicide Unit at homicidetips@police.portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-0479 and reference case number 26-18537.
Chief Bob Day and other officials addressed the case at a news conference following the arrest, with PPB publicly thanking partner agencies and bureau staff for what it described as “tireless work” and “unwavering dedication” that led to Oelkers’ capture.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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