Hostage situation on MAX train in NE Portland ‘resolved,’ PPB says

PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - Portland police say a hostage situation on a NE Portland MAX train has been resolved.

First units from the Portland Police Bureau responded to the 9200 block of NE Cascades Parkway just after 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. An additional 36 units followed shortly after to the Mount Hood MAX Station.

A spokesperson for the PPB told FOX 12 a male suspect, identified as 41-year-old Marcus Dwaine Tate, who is now in custody was holding a male passenger hostage with a knife and a skewer. The female train operator was blocked inside the trains cab by the suspect, unable to leave, and considered a hostage as well, according to police.

“At one point the suspect had a hold of the hand of the male hostage and was calling and referring to this person as a hostage,” said PPB Commander Tina Jones. “Unbelievably frightening I’m sure for everyone involved. Obviously this is a very busy area with the retail that’s around a difficult place to contain, keep people out and safe, so it took a lot of resources to be able to manage that area and try to set up some solid communication with the subject.”

Police deployed flashbangs when the suspect dropped their weapons and was able to take them into custody.

“This is one of the big ones as far as calls go and one of those very high risk situations with somebody who’s not acting in a very stable manor so I’m very very proud of how they were able to safely resolve this today,” Jones said.

Tate will be booked into the Multnomah County Jail, charged with first-degree robbery, second-degree robbery, coercion, two counts of menacing, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, two counts of harassment and interfering with public transportation.

The investigation is being led by the Transit Police Division, which is managed by the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office.

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