Flames engulfed a balcony in the St. Johns apartment building where a suspect was said to be barricaded. According to a Portland police statement, officers first responded to an apartment building in St. Johns near Cathedral Park after getting calls about a man in the midst of a mental health crisis throwing things from the balcony of his 8th-floor unit. The man is facing four counts arson in the first-degree, unlawful use of a weapon and menacing.
Firefighters put out the fire after about 20 minutes. Brent B. Lusted, 63, of Portland was arrested and booked in the Multnomah County Detention Center. The Fire Investigation Unit served a search warrant of Lusted’s apartment in which they recovered a BB rifle. Investigators said there was no evidence of gunfire and as of now is unclear what the loud banging sounds that were heard from within the apartment.
Responding officers went inside the Schrunk Riverview Tower apartment building at North Syracuse Street and Baltimore Avenue and knocked on the man’s door. Police said the man answered the door holding a rifle, then closed the door again.
Police surrounded the building and cautioned neighbors to shelter in place within a four-block radius using emergency alerts. Meanwhile, the sound of gunfire continued to emanate from inside of the apartment, and PPB said the suspect emerged onto the balcony with the gun multiple times.
Portland’s Special Emergency Reaction Team (SERT) and the Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) responded to the area, evacuating two other units. Officers were seen wearing tactical gear, deploying robots and flying a drone overhead. The suspect was initially taken to the hospital as a precaution, but had no reported injuries. PPB said he is being detained pending further investigation. His identity has not yet been released.
