A Portland police K-9 on his last shift and a wanted man were killed as multiple law enforcement agencies tried to take the man, described by authorities as “a violent offender,” into custody Thursday afternoon in Southeast Portland, officials said.

The incident took place at the Chestnut Tree Inn in the 9600 block of Southeast Stark Street and involved the U.S. Marshals Service Violent Offender Task Force and multiple other police agencies, officials said. Portland police’s homicide unit is investigating, Portland police spokesperson Mike Benner said. There is no risk to the public.

Police did not identify the suspect who was killed or specify what crime or crimes he was wanted for.

In a news release from Portland police Thursday evening, officials said preliminary information indicated the shooting involved two Portland police officers and two officers from other agencies. The PPB officers are on paid administrative leave per policy.

Also killed was a police dog, Kylo, who officials said was serving his last shift before retirement. Officials said the dog was taken to two separate animal hospitals in an effort to save his life.

“Kylo is a beloved member of the Portland police,” Benner said. “It’s not a stretch to say that our K-9s are like officers. It’s emotional over here. People lost a partner. We haven’t lost a K-9 since 2014.”

According to a 2020 Instagram post from Portland police, Kylo, a German shepherd, joined the force in 2020, at age 2-and-a-half. He was born and trained in Germany before being imported to California and acquired by Portland police.

“Kylo is happy, quirky, goofy, and loves to match his howl to the pitch of the siren when responding to calls,” the post said. “His favorite things to do outside of work are explore the forest and play with his little brother Apollo, a mini dachshund.”

Police planned a procession Thursday evening to take Kylo’s remains from the Blue Pearl Pet Hospital in Northeast Portland to the Oregon Humane Society, officials said.

For six years — from June 2020 to June 2026 — Multnomah County rented out the entire 56-room Chestnut Tree Inn to house people trying to stave off homelessness. The county stopped footing the bill and the shelter shut down because of budget cuts.

The site has been plagued by criminal activity before, during and after that time. That includes a man who was fatally shot in 2022 near the Ramada Inn and staggered across the street to the Chestnut Tree Inn, dying next to it, and another man who was gunned down in the street next to the Chestnut Tree Inn in 2025.

In the most recent incident, the initial 911 call was logged at 2:02 p.m.

Ryan Kowal, who was out walking his dog, said at about 2 p.m. he heard a shotgun followed by about 20 rounds fired by police. The incident came from the parking lot of the Chestnut Tree Inn, he said.

The aftermath was “chaos,” he said.

“The police officers started swarming, ambulance started showing up, you couldn’t even hear yourself think,” he said.

Kowal said he saw the person involved taken away in the back of an ambulance.

Twice before, in 1987 and 2014, Portland police dogs have died in the line of duty.

Argos was the first to die by rifle fire when police say he tried to apprehend a barricaded suspect who opened fire on officers, fatally striking Argos. Police honored him throughout the years, even posting an Instagram tribute in 2024 on the 37th anniversary of his death.

In 2014, K-9 Mick died and his partner, Officer Jeff Dorn, was shot in both legs during a shootout with a burglary suspect.

In 2017, an artist erected a memorial K-9 statue in front of the Portland Police Bureau’s K-9 unit headquarters at 47th Avenue and East Burnside Street.

In 2024, on the 10th anniversary of Mick’s death, the Portland Police Bureau’s honor guard observed his death by placing a flower wreath in front of the statue. Bagpipes played and Police Chief Bob Day called for a moment of silence.

“In the wake of this incident, Officer Jeff Dorn said, ‘Mick saved my life,’” Day said. “This reminds us all of the crucial and irreplaceable role of the police K-9.”

Police said at the time that the bureau was flooded with “thousands of cards, flowers, donations, and messages of condolence.”

Reporter Tatum Todd contributed to this story.

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