Press release from: Clackamas County Sheriff's Office

SWAT standoff ends in peaceful surrender in Molalla

Posted: 10/12/08

Photo: Cole Lee Chancellor

MOLALLA -- On Sunday, Oct. 12, 2008 at 1:12 p.m., Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Patrol deputies and Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) team members responded to a rural residential address at 15771 S Hwy 211 in Molalla. Deputies had received reports of an intoxicated male discharging a large-caliber rifle into the air on his property.

Witnesses familiar with this person -- Cole Lee Chancellor, age 47 -- report that he is blind and has a history of this type of dangerous behavior.

Sheriff's Office negotiators also responded to the scene. The tactical team evacuated three residences in the immediate area of this targeted residence to ensure neighbor safety. Negotiators began communicating with Chancellor, the sole male occupant in the targeted residence, in an effort to calm him.

Chancellor was described as intoxicated and belligerent during initial contacts with deputies on-scene.

These types of tactical situations require a great deal of expertise, patience and finesse. The situation could resolve itself peacefully at any moment, or it may require extended Sheriff's Office assets deployed for a considerable length of time.

Multiple SWAT-team negotiators respond to these incidents; they're highly trained in assessing critically distressed individuals and dealing with the mentally ill. Negotiators typically secure a line of communication with the barricaded subject -- discussing reasonable options and solutions. Time is the negotiator's most valuable asset in bringing the situation to a peaceful conclusion.

After an approximate five-hour standoff, at 6:15 p.m., the SWAT team announced that Chancellor had surrendered peacefully to deputies on-scene.

SWAT personnel and on-scene commanders had determined it was in the best interest of public safety to deploy gas and force the armed, barricaded Chancellor from his residence. Night was rapidly approaching, and Chancellor was not responding to requests to communicate with negotiators.

SWAT deployed a debilitating form of gas into the residence that forced Chancellor to exit the residence. He exited the residence unarmed with his hands held above his head as he surrendered to SWAT members on-scene.

Chancellor was not injured during the standoff, nor were any law-enforcement personnel.

Cole Lee Chancellor, 47, was transported to Clackamas County Jail and lodged on the following charges:


Chancellor is expected to appear for arraignment on these charges in the Clackamas County Circuit Court on Monday, Oct. 13 at 3 p.m. (A 2007 booking photo is linked above.)

Chancellor has 14 documented prior arrests in Clackamas County on a variety of charges, including Disorderly Conduct, Assault, Violation of a Restraining Order, Criminal Mischief, and Burglary.

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Jim Strovink, Detective
Public Information Officer
Clackamas County Sheriff's Office