Dante James Halling. Photo: MCSO
PORTLAND – Dante James Halling, 55, the suspected shooter involved in a gunfight that left Halling and two deputies with gunshot wounds was booked into the Multnomah County Jail on Friday, August 23, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
Halling was arrested on warrants from Multnomah County, and has now also been charged with two counts of attempted murder, assault in the first degree and assault in the second degree.
While responding to reports of the theft of a long gun at a Hagg Lake area home at 2:16 p.m. on Thursday, August 8, two members of the Washington County Tactical Negotiation Team (TNT) were allegedly shot by Halling in a gunfight.
According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Halling shot two Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies – Deputy Chris Iverson, a 7-year member of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and Corporal Jeremy Braun, a member of the sheriff’s office for 16 years – while they responded to the theft report near the 54700 block of SW Scoggins Valley Road on Thursday.
Prior to the shooting, the Washington County Tactical Negotiation Team had been called to the scene to assist due to the difficult terrain of the area and reports that the suspect was armed.
As members of TNT searched the suspect’s last known location in a wooded area, the suspect opened fire on them, striking Iverson and Braun. Multiple TNT members returned fire, injuring the suspect.
Those involved in the shooting, in addition to Iverson and Braun include:
Sergeant John Crecelius – 16 years with the Sheriff’s Office
Corporal Cade Edwards – 16 years with the Sheriff’s Office
Deputy Justin Pelletteri – 11 years with the Sheriff’s Office
Deputy Steve Nichols – 10 years with the Sheriff’s Office
Other agency officers involved in the shooting include:
Detective Kevin Winfield, Tualatin Police Department – 27 years with TPD, Officer Jose Cabrera, Hillsboro Police Department – 5 years with HPD.
TNT is a special team — often referred to as a SWAT team — from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and other area partner agencies designed for “extremely hazardous situations where conventional police tactics and equipment may be inadequate,” according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office website.
With immediate response from a Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue paramedic assigned to TNT, a massive effort began to safely evacuate and treat the two officers.
Once evacuated, personnel from Gaston Rural Fire Protection District, Cornelius Fire Department and Metro West Ambulance provided on-scene medical care. Braun was taken by a Lifeflight air ambulance to a trauma hospital with serious injuries, while Iverson was transported to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Halling surrendered to deputies after being shot and was also transported to an area hospital.
At a news conference, Sheriff Pat Garrett extended his thanks to the agencies that assisted with medical care after the shooting.
“My sincerest appreciation to the many local agencies who responded to transport the injured deputies to safety and to provide ongoing medical care,” he said.
Assisting on scene was a long list of emergency response agencies: Cornelius Police (contracted from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office), Forest Grove Police, Beaverton Police, Hillsboro Police, Tigard Police, Sherwood Police, Tualatin Police, Oregon State Police, Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office, Portland Police Bureau, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, Lifeflight Network, Metro West Ambulance, Cornelius Fire Department, Gaston Rural Fire, Forest Grove Fire & Rescue, and Washington County Consolidated Communications Agency.
“The Washington County Sheriff’s Office continues to be overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support from our community. We thank everyone for their kind words and warm wishes,” a statement from the Sheriff’s office read.
Iverson was treated and released, and is now recovering at home, per the sheriff’s office. Braun remains hospitalized.
The Major Crimes Team is looking for more information about Halling’s recent activities and whereabouts.
Members of the public are asked to call a tip line at 503-846-2500 if they spoke with, saw, or know anything about Halling’s activities and location in the weeks prior to the shooting.
Those interested in donating funds to the wounded officers can do so through an approved donation site set up by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office Foundation at www.wcsofoundation.org/index.php/donate
Note in the comment section that your donation is for the injured deputies.
Chas Hundley is the editor of the Banks Post and sister news publications the Gales Creek Journal and the Salmonberry Magazine. He grew up in Gales Creek and has a cat.
