'Unacceptable': At least 15 Portland police cars burned, arson investigation underway
When Portland police arrived at a department training facility to help with a fire on Thursday morning, they found at least 15 patrol vehicles burning.
The Portland Police Bureau is searching for a suspected arsonist who they believe set the cop cars on fire around 1:55 a.m. while the vehicles were parked in a fenced training area, the department said in a news release.
No one was injured and the building was undamaged by the fires, police said. The cars were parked at the Portland Police Training Division, a complex near Portland International Airport.
Portland Fire Investigators, the unit that extinguished the burning vehicles, are investigating. The unit consists of investigators from Portland Fire and Rescue and a detective from the Portland Police Bureau.
"I am disheartened by the acts of vandalism over the last 12 hours," Chief Bob Day posted Thursday on X. "Damaging downtown businesses and vehicles at our Training Division is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. I understand people in our community are hurting, but in no way is property destruction a productive way to address that angst. I want the community to know these criminal actions will be fully investigated."
Portland Police Bureau vehicles found 'with heavy fire damage'
One of the bureau's black vehicles had "heavy fire damage" to its left front quarter, police said. A blue and white vehicle with metal training wraparound had its bumper burned, they said.
Two unmarked vehicles were found burning in a parking lot, while another police vehicle was on fire behind "a large propane tank," police said.
Police did not detail the damage sustained by the remaining vehicles at the training facility.
The bureau told USA TODAY that it did not have any updates regarding the investigation as of Thursday afternoon.