Police investigate ‘improvised explosive’ which led to I-5 closure, suspect arrested

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Several blocks in Northeast Portland closed on Thursday afternoon as police searched the area following the arrest of a man accused of making a makeshift bomb.

Portland resident Alexander R. Wick, 38, was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center for allegedly manufacturing a destructive device, among other charges.

Portland police began searching the area near NE 15th Avenue and Alberta Street just before 1:30 p.m., and officers expect to be in the area for multiple hours. However, investigators said there is “no articulable ongoing danger to the community.”

“We all were dumbfounded when the situation came by. And it wasn’t until I was starting to putting context clues together. I saw the bomb squad vest, I saw the K-9 units, and it literally looked like federal officers that were surrounded. So, like, this is something big. This is something bigger than we’re all thinking,” said Meaghan Sutton, who witnessed the explosives investigation unfold in Northeast Portland on Thursday.

Matty Sallin, who lives nearby, said it was “fascinating to see that there’s drama going on.”

He added that he found it “despicable” that someone would allegedly throw things at drivers to hurt them as they were traveling down the highway, something police accused Wick of doing over the weekend.

Wick allegedly slashed tires and threatened drivers while claiming to have a bomb on Saturday, according to Portland police.

That night, officers responded to I-5 at the Northeast Failing Street pedestrian bridge, where the man was allegedly throwing cones and other objects into the lanes of traffic before slashing the tires of any vehicles that stopped. He allegedly threw boards with nails in them into lanes of traffic and had a stop sign on a portable stand.

“The suspect threatened drivers with a screwdriver and claimed that he had a bomb,” police said. “Officers searching the area located a bucket with a possible explosive device inside.”

“Due to the significant potential danger to the community, I-5 had to be closed to all traffic,” police said.

The Metro Area Explosives Disposal Unit investigated the device, which they determined was an “improvised explosive.”

The man — later identified as Wick — had allegedly fled the scene, but was later located by a detective and taken into custody. No additional suspects are being sought.

A search warrant has granted investigators permission to search the neighborhood near the man’s home “in a slow, careful, methodical manner.”

Police said they believe people may have taken video of the incident on Saturday and are asking anyone with footage to come forward.

Stay with KOIN 6 News as this story develops.