[Caveman]

My God this is awful...

The news just reported that one of the Woodburn officers has died and one of the other ones, who happens to be the police chief, is in critical condition.
Woodburn is about 35mi south of Portland. Not very big, made up largely of a farming community. Absolutely one of the last places you would ever think of something like this happening.

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WOODBURN, Ore. -- A bomb exploded late Friday afternoon at a bank in Woodburn, seriously injuring three law enforcement officers.
The explosion happened at the West Coast Bank on the Newberg 214 Highway just before 5:30 p.m., Marion County deputies said. Officers were on the scene investigating a report of a suspicious device when the device detonated.
Two Woodburn police officers and an Oregon State Police bomb technician received serious injuries and a bank employee received minor injuries. The names of those injured were not released. Earlier in the morning, a Woodburn-area Wells Fargo Bank received a threatening phone call from an unknown person. Bank personnel notified Woodburn Police Department and the bank was evacuated while police investigated with the assistance of the FBI and an Oregon State Police bomb technician.
The investigation led to the West Coast Bank on Highway 214, just east of Interstate 5. While investigators were in the area, a suspicious device detonated.
Highway 214 was closed in both directions east of Interstate 5 toward Woodburn downtown Woodburn as a result of the incident.
A multi-agency investigation involving federal, state, county and city police agencies is investigating, coordinated by the Marion County Sheriff's Office working with an interagency team of investigators and the Marion County District Attorney's Office.

[maclean]

Anarchists? ELF?

Man, that really bites!

[Odd]

RIP
Fast and full recovery to the others injured.

Less pleasant thoughts for that animal.

[Morris]

Two now dead, chief is stable condition but in surgery at a Portland area hospital.

Latest report (as I type this at 0155 hours PST) is that it was outside one bank, somehow moved to another. It was scanned, found to be safe, then just detonated. F Troop is crawling all over this one.

I will say that I am surprised there isn't more explosives at banks in light of the bank issues and the spike in foreclosures. Keep safe folks!

[pgg]

I was heart broken to see this headline this morning.

[Pinki]

I hope the two officers rest in peace.... prayers to the Chief for the surgery and recovery..

[BigDawg]

RIP my Brothers

[CTR man]

This really sucks. Especially at this time of year. My condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of the fallen.

http://www.kgw.com/news-local/storie....58bf59dd.html

http://www.odmp.org/officer/19697-captain-tom-tennant

http://www.odmp.org/officer/19696-se...per-bill-hakim

Woodburn bank explosion kills 2 officers

10:16 AM PST on Saturday, December 13, 2008

By FRANK MUNGEAM and ERIC ADAMS, Kgw.com Staff WOODBURN, Ore. -- A Woodburn police officer and state police bomb squad technician were killed, while the city's police chief remained in critical condition after a bomb exploded late Friday at a Woodburn bank.

Latest report on bank explosion

Explosion kills 2 officers
Bank explosion press conference
Explosion rocks Woodburn


The FBI and ATF offered a $35,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the explosion and deaths, Oregon State Police said.

The explosion happened at the West Coast Bank on the Newberg 214 Highway just before 5:30 p.m., Marion County deputies said. Officers were on the scene investigating a report of a suspicious device when the explosion occurred.

Woodburn Police Department Capt. Tom Tennant and Oregon State Police bomb technician Bill Hakim were killed in the blast.

Woodburn Chief of Police Scott Russell was in critical condition and a female bank employee received minor injuries.

On Friday morning, a Woodburn-area Wells Fargo Bank received a threatening phone call from an unknown person. Bank personnel notified Woodburn Police Department and the bank was evacuated while police investigated with the assistance of the FBI and an Oregon State Police bomb squad.

The investigation led to the West Coast Bank on Highway 214, just east of Interstate 5. While investigators were in the area, a suspicious device detonated.

State police said the first device, discovered by police after the suspicious phone call, was determined not to be dangerous. The second device, which was discovered by a bank employee, did detonate.

It was unclear to police whether the devices were related.

Highway 214 in Woodburn was to remain closed most of the weekend due to the explosion, police said. Residents and commuters were encouraged to find other routes of travel in the area.

"This individual took the life of two police officers, critically injured the chief of police, and potentially could have taken the lives of bank employees inside," Oregon State Police Lt. Hastings said. "If it takes a $35,000 reward, or if that reward grows, to break the case open then it's money well spent."

Hakim became the second bomb technician in Oregon State Police history to be killed in the line of duty.

Marion County sheriffs described Hakim as a dedicated family man with wife and two teenaged children.

Woodburn Police Sgt. Jason Tlusty became emotional describing Capt. Tennant, who also was killed in the blast.

Tlusty described Tennant as an active community member "who would do anything to help those in need."

Twelve hours into the investigation authorities said it remained unclear whether the two devices were related.

A multi-agency investigation involving federal, state, county and city police agencies is investigating, coordinated by the Marion County Sheriff's Office working with an interagency team of investigators and the Marion County District Attorney's Office.

Anyone with information is asked to call the tip line at 800-800-3855.

[Buttercup]

Oh my goodness, that's awful.

Rest in peace to the fallen officers, thoughts and prayers for recovery to the injured.

[Jenna]

Hope the bank employee and the Chief recover quickly. May the fallen officers rest in peace.

[irishmick]

They're saying now that they were two different devices. And they found a suspicious "package" this morning at a bank in Lake Oswego. Thoughts and prayers are headed out to the families and I hope that the chief makes a full recovery. A few of us will be at Woodburn tonight for the vigil. Captain Tennant was a good friend of our battalion and I hope that his family can find peace.

[2 Blue 4 U]

I heard this on the news when I was out today, terrible, just terrible.

May they Rest in Peace, My condolences to their family and friends.

Well wishes for a full and speedy recovery to the Chief.

[maclean]

mick, same bank or different bank?

[ryan36002]

I'm seeing rumors, media speculation and plain BS. Two officers have fallen, a third is hanging on. The media has been taking information about devices, locations and detonation methods from by-standers. They have changed their story several times, and very little has been consistent with the Official Press Release. I would assume that if you are on this site you would understand the reasons why full disclosure of details is not being made at this time. My prayers are with the families and co-workers. I think it would be best to save the arm chair analisys for after the investigators have cleared the scene.

[Shoestring]

Sad, very very sad, RIP, and hang in there Chief

[irishmick]

Originally Posted by maclean

mick, same bank or different bank?

Different bank. Wells Fargo got a threatening call and found a device, but it was the West Coast Bank next door that had the explosion. Then a different bank in the area had a threatening device (different town and closer to home for me). Our governor and staff was quarantined as well for a letter than contained suspicious white powder on Friday.

[Willowdared]

My thoughts and prayers en-route.

[ryan36002]

http://egov.oregon.gov/OSP/NEWSRL/ne...ng_hakim.shtml

This is yesterdays release but it remains accurate today. Portland news channels like to add hype and suspense to situations. Lt Hastings is the best source for information. If he hasn't said it, it is not true or there is a valid reason they don't want you to know.

[maclean]

Originally Posted by ryan36002

http://egov.oregon.gov/OSP/NEWSRL/ne...ng_hakim.shtml

This is yesterdays release but it remains accurate today. Portland news channels like to add hype and suspense to situations. Lt Hastings is the best source for information. If he hasn't said it, it is not true or there is a valid reason they don't want you to know.

Yeah, LEO's have that down by now, but we have folks close to the event!

mick, thanks for the info.

[bird1]

R.I.P Brothers