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A man may have been shot this morning in a downtown parking garage during an encounter with several Portland Police officers.

A massive police response is affecting street and rail traffic through the area.

Police are releasing few details of the incident, which is ongoing, out of concerns that the man maybe monitoring media accounts while hiding on the ninth story roof of the SmartPark parking garage located between Southwest 3rd and 4th avenues, and Southwest Alder Street and Southwest Morrison Street.

It remains unclear what lead to the confrontation with police, said Sgt. Pete Simpson, a police spokesman. But for some reason, officers fired shots at the man, who remains on the garage roof, possibly "lying in wait" for police, he said.

More than 100 officers and fire crews responded to the area, including members of the bomb squad, Crisis Negotiation Team, and Special Emergency Reaction Team -- better known as SERT, as authorities attempt to reach the man safely.

Police Chief Mike Reese and two top lieutenants, Assistant Portland Police Chiefs Larry O'Day and Eric Hendricks, are assessing what Simpson called "an on-going tactical situation."

No officers were injured in the shooting, which happened sometime before 4:20 a.m., police said. It remains uncertain whether the man was shot or injured. An emergency medical team waited on the street.

Police cars and crime scene tape are blocking roads and Red and Blue MAX line trains, so expect delays if your morning route sends you through the area.

-- Noelle Crombie

