Eric F. Oelkers, 41, faces severe felony charges after allegedly shooting two Portland police officers on January 19, 2026, during a confrontation over a weapon threat call.
Shooting Incident
Officers responded near Northeast 21st Avenue and Clackamas Street around 8:30 p.m., locating Oelkers carrying a black backpack and green tote bag. When ordered to put hands on his head, he reportedly pulled a handgun from the bag, fired multiple shots—striking one officer in the thigh/groin (shattered femur) and another in the arm/neck (partial ear loss)—then fled; seven shell casings were recovered.
Arrest and Charges
A weeklong manhunt involving over 230 tips ended January 26 with his tactical arrest near Park Shuttle ‘n’ Fly; police seized a firearm and matched his DNA to discarded clothing. He was arraigned Wednesday on two counts each of attempted aggravated murder, attempted assault, and unlawful weapon use, held without bond at Multnomah County Jail.
Court Behavior
During arraignment, Oelkers called the process an “unconstitutional and illegal insurrection,” invoking Trump and yelling “have fun in hell” while leaving. In a prior hearing, he ranted against immigrants, Antifa, accused rebellion against America, and questioned if his defender was AI.
Prior Record
He had a hate crime warrant for 2021 vandalism at Black-owned Epilogue Kitchen in Salem amid far-right election protests. Both officers survived and were released from hospital.
