Salem police trade gunfire with armed suspect inside home

SALEM, Ore. - One person was taken to the hospital Thursday night after a shootout between a suspect and three police officers inside a Salem home. No police officers were hurt.

Salem Police Lt. Jim Anglemier said at just after 7:30 p.m., police responded to a disturbance call that involved a man and a woman and several other people in the 2400 block of 4th Street NE.

There was a report of a rifle being involved, but it wasn't being used to threaten anyone.

A neighbor told police they saw about 10 people in the street when one person took off running behind a house. Police found the rifle and determined there was no crime involved. Police later learned that the person who ran behind the house had an outstanding warrant for meth possession.

Later, police heard reports of the man running through a backyard. Police entered a house and that's when things could have turned deadly.

"The subject came out from a room, saw one of the officers and fired multiple rounds at him," Anglemeier said. "That officer returned fire. He (the subject) then engaged two other officers. They both returned fire."

The suspect, identified early Friday by police as Ricky Wayne Lewis Jr., 41, was hit multiple times and was taken to Salem Hospital. He is expected to survive.

One neighbor who did not want to give his name said he's only lived in the area a short time but is ready to move again.

"The kids are always out here playing all the time, all the kids, always, full of kids," he said. "Every other night, it's like 'pop, pop, pop, pop, pop.' So the kids, we gotta drag in the house, can't be outside anymore you know. It's getting to be real bad over here. We've only lived here a month and I'm ready to leave."

He said he's heard gunshots in the area for the past few nights.

The involved officers, identified by Salem police as Sgt. Jason VanMeter, Officer Ben Ruddell and Officer Brian Bidiman, were placed on administrative leave, according to a press release.

Salem police said the Oregon State Police and Marion County District Attorney's Office will be conducting the investigation into the shooting.