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NOTE: This story concerns a man mixing his medication with alcohol, destroying his home, and chasing his family from the residence -- then arming himself with a rifle and discharging this weapon in the direction of deputies. It may not make the front page, or be the lead story for tonight's broadcast. But it did have a successful conclusion: He was safely brought into police custody, with no injuries to anyone.
The responding Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Patrol personnel and supervisors secured the area and demonstrated significant professional poise and tactical restraint during this mission. The SWAT negotiators did a commendable job -- calmly managing a difficult and threatening subject on the phone and securing a peaceful surrender.
I know a number of families involved in this incident are thankful for the professionalism of Sheriff's Office personnel. Congratulations -- well done!
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At 9:23 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009, Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Patrol personnel were dispatched to 61451 SE Hwy. 224, #1143, in Estacada. A father was reporting that his son had ingested a large amount of antidepressant medication coupled with alcohol -- and was out of control, destroying the home at that address.Responding deputies received information that the additional occupants at that address -- a mother, father, and adult brother of the suspect -- had fled from the residence. It was also reported that the son, identified as Bret A. Hatcher, age 28, was outside the residence, declaring he wanted the police to shoot him.
As deputies were responding to this remote, rural location, situated near the Ripple Brook Ranger Station (Mile Post 50), it was being reported to dispatch that Hatcher was breaking windows and was presently outside of the residence armed with a .22-caliber rifle.
At 10:14 p.m., Bret Hatcher answered the telephone at the residence and declared repeatedly that he had a rifle and would shoot to kill.
At 10:22 p.m., deputies began arriving at the location, and staged at the rear of this residence. Within minutes of arriving, deputies saw Bret Hatcher exiting the residence with rifle in hand.
Sheriff's Office command staffers decided the circumstance warranted a Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) response. The SWAT team was activated. Meanwhile, additional calls into the residence were made, in hopes of negotiating a peaceful resolution with Bret Hatcher.
While Patrol deputies were staged on the perimeter of the residence, two gunshots were reportedly fired in the direction of the deputies surrounding the residence.
According to Sheriff's Office Capt. Kevin Layng, "The stationed deputies on the perimeter could hear the rounds whipping through the tree line in close proximity to where they were positioned."
At 11:16 p.m., SWAT negotiators called the residence and continued to attempt to calm Bret Hatcher over the phone.
Clackamas County's SWAT skilled negotiators receive extensive training in the art of communicating with people in challenging situations -- especially those with mental-health issues.
An exit plan was successfully negotiated with Bret Hatcher, and he was successfully taken into custody -- without harm to any participants -- then transported to Clackamas County Jail and lodged.
Mental-health authorities and Jail personnel have placed Mr. Hatcher on close jailhouse supervision, commonly referred to as a "suicide watch."
Clackamas County Jail personnel report that an estimated 35% of all inmates there suffer from some form of mental-health issue.
Bret Hatcher was arraigned today (Thursday, Nov. 19) at 3 p.m. on the related charges of Unlawful Use of a Weapon (2 counts) and Recklessly Endangering (1 count). Hatcher remains in the care of the Clackamas County Jail.
Upon collecting evidence (including the suspect weapon) from the scene, it was discovered this .22-caliber weapon had malfunctioned while in the control of Bret Hatcher. A .22-caliber round was found "stove-piped" (jammed) in the chamber -- rendering the weapon temporarily inoperable.