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Update March 1, 2023: Grand jury finds use of force by deputies justified and lawful and indicts suspects
Just prior to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 14, Deputies from the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office were involved in a deadly physical force incident after an armed suspect opened fire on deputies during an attempt to stop a stolen motor vehicle in the City of Wilsonville.
The incident occurred at the intersection of Southwest Wilsonville Road and Southwest town Center Loop East.
A marked patrol car equipped with an Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system automatically notified the deputy of a 2006 Lincoln Town Car reported stolen by the Rainer Police Department driving in the City of Wilsonville and occupied by a man and a woman.
The deputy confirmed the vehicle’s status as stolen and attempted to make a traffic stop. The suspect car fled the scene on Southwest Wilsonville Rd. Deputies were able to stop the car at Southwest Wilsonville Rd and Southwest Town Center Loop East.
Immediately after the stop it is alleged that one of the vehicles occupants, who was armed, opened fire on police. No deputies were injured by the gunfire but at least one patrol vehicle was struck.
Deputies returned fire and both occupants of the car were struck. Deputies removed the driver and passenger from the stolen car and performed medical treatment until paramedics arrived. The occupants were transported to an area hospital via ambulance.
The occupants of the car have been identified as:
- Brandon Nicholas Gilpin (white male), 29 years old, with a last known address in Tallahassee, Florida
- Felisha Marie Cunningham (white female), 34 years old with a last known address in Unionville, Tennessee.
The deputies involved in this incident are as follows:
- Deputy Sam Eason, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, 20 years of service.
- Deputy Chris O’Connor, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, 16 years of service
- Deputy Scott McBride, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, 17 years of service.
The deputies are on paid administrative leave as is standard practice in an officer involved shooting.
Felisha Cunningham has been released from the hospital and is being arraigned in the Clackamas County Circuit Court on Feb. 21 on two counts of Attempted Murder in the First Degree, Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle. Brandon Gilpin remains in the hospital.
Investigators are asking the public for assistance with any information or anyone who witnessed the incident or who may have seen the involved suspects or their vehicle prior to Feb. 14th as it is believed the suspects may be connected to other criminal incidents.
People with information can contact the Clackamas County tip line at 503-723-4949 or the District Attorney’s office directly at districtattorney@clackamas.us.
The investigation is ongoing and being led by the Clackamas Interagency Major Crimes Team and the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office. Detectives and investigators from Lake Oswego Police, Tualatin Police, Oregon State Police, West Linn Police, Canby Police, District Attorney Investigations Unit, and Milwaukie Police are conducting the investigation with assistance from the Rainier Police Department and the Portland Police Bureau.
We understand the community has great interest in this incident, however, no further updates will be provided until this case is presented to a Clackamas County Grand Jury in the coming weeks.