Clackamas Town Center 'tragic' scene as two people are killed, gunman takes his own life
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A West Linn father is one of the two people who were shot and killed during a Tuesday afternoon attack at Clackamas Town Center's food court area.Image may be NSFW.
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One other person was seriously wounded. The gunman is also dead from a self-inflicted gunshot, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.
Steve Forsyth owned a marketing agency in Portland and formerly worked for Entercom Communications, which owns radio stations in the city. He is also a 1985 Lake Oswego High School graduate.
He was at the mall where he owns a store at the time of the shooting with his wife and two children. He recently opened a kiosk, Coastoms, at the mall selling handmade wooden coasters. The kiosk was located near the Macy's Home Store.
The family of Forsyth released a statement Wednesday morning. It read:
Steven Mathew Forsyth was a loving husband, father of two children, son, brother, uncle, youth sports coach and friend to the many people who had the privilege to meet him.
Steve was one of the most passionate people with a true entrepreneurial spirit that drove him to start his business, Coastoms. He had a great sense of humor and a zest for life. He had vision and a belief in others that brought great joy and value to many lives.
He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.
Dave Rogoway, of Lake Oswego, knew Forsyth from working with him at Entercom. He called Forsyth a model father and husband, adding that he was a really bright fellow and involved with his children.
Several people at KPAM radio also knew and worked with Forsyth. In fact, Terry Boyd, of Terry Boyds World, was visiting with Forsyth at his kiosk in the mall less than an hour before the shooting occurred.
Boyd had worked with Forsyth for 10 years at Entercom and was currently working in a new project with him. Boyd had stopped by the mall to check out the kiosk, which Forysth had opened just a few days prior.
Steve is one of those people who without any effort at all makes you want to be a better person, Boyd said. Hes just a great guy. He lights up the room and he always puts others before him.
Boyd recalled his energy, spirit and drive.
I never ever heard that guy utter a bad word or a negative comment, Boyd said.
Boyd said Forsyth was active in his church and was a martial artist, and he suspects Forsyth was acting heroically during the shooting.
Chances are pretty good he was doing the right thing, he said.
KPAM former manager David Saxe of West Linn knew him for about 20 years.
"Steve was very well respected in the whole media community. He was energetic and passionate about life. He was a great family guy, Saxe said. "It's just very, very difficult to understand how this could happen."
"Steven Mathew Forsyth was a loving husband, father of two children, son, brother, uncle, youth sports coach and friend to the many people who had the privilege to meet him," read a statement from the family.
"Steve was one of the most passionate people with a true entrepreneurial spirit that drove him to start his business, Coastoms. He had a great sense of humor and a zest for life. He had vision and a belief in others that brought great joy and value to many lives. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him."
Kaiser nurse
Northeast Portlander Cindy Ann Yuille, 54, a nurse on the Kaiser Permenente hospice care team, was also killed in the attack.Image may be NSFW.
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She worked at Kaiser for 16 years, and her husband is also a nurse on the hospice care team.
"Cindy was a beloved caregiver for the kind and compassionate support she provided for patients and families at times of impending loss and need," said Kaiser spokesman Dave Northfield. "Our hearts are with Cindys husband and family as they absorb this tragedy and grieve."
Northfield said that for co-workers are mourning her "heartbreaking" loss, Kaiser has made available counseling services as they struggle.
"Cindy was everybody's friend," her family wrote in a statement. "She was a wonderful person who was very caring and put others first."
One young woman wounded in the shooting was 22-year-old Kristina Shevchenko. She was taken by Life Flight to Oregon Health and Science University Hospital, where she was listed in serious condition.
Locked in for hours
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The attack began at about 3:27 p.m., sending nearly 10,000 people scrambling for exits inside the two-level, 1.2 million-square-foot shopping center in suburban Clackamas County, about 12 miles from downtown Portland.
Only one gunman was suspected in the shooting, according to sheriff's office spokesmen. Deputies said that at about 4:45 p.m. the shooter's body and weapon were found inside the shopping center.
The gunman, 22-year-old Jacob Tyler Roberts of 7324 S.E. 84th Ave., Portland, apparently died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police said that he parked his 1996 Volkswagen Jetta outside of Macy's, ran through the store and opened fire in the food court. After his gun jammed, he ran down a nearby service stairway and killed himself, according to initial police investigation.
Roberts was wearing a hockey-style face mask and a vest to hold extra ammunition for an AR-15 semi-automatic weapon he had stolen from a friend, police report. Law enforcement personnel found him dead in the stairwell 22 minutes after the first 911 call.
Sgt. Adams Phillips said law enforcement officers did not fire any shots during the incident. He added there was no apparent relationship between the shooter and victims, although the investigation is ongoing.
Pamplin Media Group reporters Lori Hall, Steve Law and Raymond Rendleman contributed to this news story.