Two Officers Killed When Bomb Explodes Inside Woodburn Oregon Bank

UPDATE: An Oregon State Police bomb technician became the second victim of a bomb in a Woodburn bank branch, State Police spokesman Lt. Gregg Hastings confirmed Saturday.

Technician Bill Hakim, a senior trooper, and Woodburn Police Capt. Tom Tennant were killed in Friday evening’s blast, Hastings said. Both men were 51 years old.

Woodburn Police Chief Scott Russell, 46, was critically injured. A female bank employee also was injured. She was treated at a hospital and released, the State Police said in a written statement. Her name was not immediately available.

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A bomb ripped through a West Coast Bank branch in Woodburn Oregon Friday evening, killing two officers, others were injured.

It happened about 5:30 p.m. Nearby residents reported hearing a loud explosion. Moments later, police cars rolled up and ambulances lined up outside the branch, located next to I-5 on Newberg Highway 214.

Amid the confusion and chaos came reports of serious injuries. Police later confirmed more than one injury, in a statement that said, “Woodburn police, with the assisatance of FBI and an Oregon State Police Bomb Technician, were investigating a suspicious device at the West Coast Bank on Highway 214 east of Interstate 5. While officers were in the area, the device detonated, resulting in serious injuries.” Later, a Marion County deputy medical examiner confirmed a death from those injuries. The bomb technician was mentioned as one of those injured, but it was not known whether he was the confirmed fatality.

West Coast Bank CEO and President Bob Sznewajs says the explosive device was first spotted outside the bank by employees. However, he adds that they found it only after police had looked twice for reported explosive devices, and failed to find them (see related story). Snewajs says when they came out the third time, after the employees finally found it, they evacuated his bank branch, then brought the bomb inside it, where it exploded.

Highway 214 was closed in both directions east of I-5 toward downtown Woodburn. Nearby businesses were evacuated.

Earlier in the day, a nearby Wells Fargo branch had a police incident, after a reported bomb scare there, but any possible connections will be part of a police investigation involving the F.B.I., Marion County Deputies, Woodburn Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Additionally, West Coast Bank will be doing its own independent investigation.

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Editors Note: There is nothing to suggest this is terror related. From time to time we feature stories such as this that may be of interest to our readers.