Student With Shotgun Subdued At Portland High School: Cops

PORTLAND, OR — An armed student who walked into a Portland classroom was wrestled to the ground by a staff member before being taken into custody by authorities on Friday, police said.

According to police, the student was armed with a shotgun when he entered the classroom. At some point, the staff member confronted the student and when police arrived on scene, the staff member had detained the student in the hallway.

Police responded to the incident around 11:48 a.m. on Friday. It is unknown whether any shots were fired, police said.

Police identified the student as 18-year-old Angel Granados Dias. He was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of possession of a firearm in a public building, attempting to discharge a firearm at a school, reckless endangerment and possession of a loaded firearm in a public place.

Witnesses told The Oregonian/OregonLive that the student appeared distraught when he appeared at the door to their government class and pulled the weapon from beneath a long black trench coat, and that a football and track coach who also works security at the school, Keanon Lowe, tackled him before anyone got hurt. Lowe is a former football standout at the University of Oregon.

In a series of tweets on Saturday, Lowe wrote that when he was "confronted with the test the universe presented," he saw no choice but to act.

"Thank God, I passed," said Lowe. "I've spent the last 24 hours being more appreciative of my family and realizing we have a serious problem."

One student recounted to the paper that the student didn't point the gun at anyone.

In a letter to the school community, Parkrose school district Superintendent Michael Lopes-Serrao wrote that two students informed a staff member of concerning behavior from a student.

"Our security staff responded and found the student with a gun and quickly disarmed the student," Lopes-Serrao wrote. "Thanks to their heroic efforts all students and staff are safe."

School will resume on Monday as usual but there will be an enhanced security presence and additional counseling support will be available for students and staff throughout the week.

Officers searched the school to make sure everyone is safe. Parents were being reunited with students at the nearby Sears outlet.

Police are working with the FBI to investigate the incident.

Reporting and writing from The Associated Press was used in this report.