Lake Oswego police are investigating a shooting at the home of SAIF Corporation CEO Chip Terhune as a “targeted” attack, according to a recent statement. The incident occurred last week at Terhune’s Melrose Place residence.
On Wednesday, authorities released a surveillance photo of a person they have identified as a suspect. The blurry image shows the individual dressed in dark clothing, possibly wearing a hoodie or ski mask. Police indicated that the person was carrying a light-colored object and was seen near a parked car.
Emergency responders arrived at Terhune’s home early Friday morning in response to reports of gunfire. Police reports indicate that an unknown suspect fired multiple shots into the home before fleeing the scene on foot. The shooting is believed to have taken place sometime between 3:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. that Friday.
Although the shots caused minor damage to the house, including damage to the front door, no one was injured in the incident. In an internal email to employees later on Friday, Terhune stated that he heard what he initially believed to be rocks being thrown at his home around 4 a.m.
In a subsequent Saturday email, obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive, Terhune revealed that SAIF Corporation had received an email threat claiming responsibility for the shooting. Although the email did not specifically target any particular employee, it did reference knowledge of relatives’ names and addresses, but with numerous inaccuracies. “Law enforcement is working diligently to investigate this matter and has asked that we not share any additional specific information about the actual email,” Terhune wrote. He also urged his employees to stay vigilant, pay attention to their surroundings, and report anything suspicious.
Police are asking anyone with information relevant to the shooting to contact the detectives’ tip line at 503-635-0232 or submit a tip anonymously on their website.
