Five Salem Oregon Schools in Lockdown After Armed Car Jacking

The suspect is considered to be armed and dangerous.

The suspect is a white male 25-35 years old. He is stocky in build, with squinty eyes, stubble, a narrow goatee, wearing baggy pants.

(SALEM) - An armed car jacking took place at the Mervyn's Department store Friday afternoon about 1:00, in Albany, and a police chase ensued north on I-5.

The victim reported that a male suspect grabbed her from behind after she opened the rear driver side door on her 2004 Chevy Avalanche pickup truck and set her purse and keys on the seat.

Police say the suspect put a handgun to the victim's head and ordered her to get into her vehicle as he tried to push her inside. The victim screamed and was able to break free from the suspect and ran back to the store.

The suspect fled the area in the victim's vehicle north onto I-5. Several Albany Patrol Officers began checking northbound I-5 when the suspect was located in the Jefferson area by members of the Oregon State Police. A pursuit was initiated which led back to I-5 and north towards Salem. Two Albany Patrol Officers assisted in the pursuit until it entered South Salem.

Members of the Oregon State Police, Salem Police Department and Marion County Sheriff's Department pursued the suspect into an area east of Commercial and Boone Road SE where officers lost sight of the vehicle temporarily.

The stolen truck was then spotted on Battlecreek Rd SE near Kuebler, and was pursued to Clark Creek Park, off Ratcliff Dr, east of Commercial St. in South Salem when the suspect went off road, got the vehicle stuck and fled on foot.

At 2:00 PM, five South Salem schools were alerted to the threat and were asked to prevent anyone from entering or leaving the buildings until further notice. All schools cooperated immediately, and though they regreted the inconvenience to parents waiting to pick their children up, the policy is to do what is best for student safety. The lockdown was lifted at 3:00 PM and students were allowed to leave for their 2-week vacations.

A Marion County Sheriff's Office automated phone message system was used to send a message to area residents asking them to secure their homes for the next hour and call 911 if they observed any suspicious male in the area.

Salem area law enforcement searched for the suspect until approximately 4:00 PM but did not find the suspect.

The suspect is described as a white male, 25-35 years old. He is 6'0 tall, stocky, with squinty eyes, stubble, a narrow goatee and possibly a shaved head. He was wearing baggy pants, a white t-shirt, a black jacket and a light colored baseball hat. The jacket was further described as "puffy" in style.

He was armed with a handgun.

The suspect is considered to be armed and dangerous. Anyone with information regarding the identity or whereabouts of the suspect is asked to call the Albany Police Department at 541-917-7680.