Story highlights The man climbed over a fence and approached a helicopter with the engine running

Police: The incident is not believed to be an act of terrorism

(CNN) Police in Oregon fatally shot a man who attempted to steal a helicopter from a private air hangar at an airport near Portland, authorities said Monday.

Hillsboro Police Lt. Henry Reimann said the armed man climbed a fence at the local airport and approached the helicopter in the hangar owned by Hillsboro Aero Academy about 11:30 a.m. local time. An academy employee was showing his girlfriend the helicopter, which had the engine switched on, Reimann said.

Police initially identified the helicopter's occupants as a pilot and student pilot.

The suspect fired into the air and ordered the two out before climbing in to the helicopter, Reimann said. Three other academy employees then pointed weapons at the suspect, Reimann said.

A Hillsboro officer who was responding to a call of an active shooter at the airport approached the hangar and ordered the suspect away from the aircraft, Reimann said. The suspect and the police exchanged gunfire as he jumped a fence and ran into a field.

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