Police identify Oregon man who tried to seize helicopter

July 5, 2017 Updated Wed., July 5, 2017 at 12:25 p.m.

Associated Press

HILLSBORO, Ore. – Police in a suburb of Portland have released the name of a man who tried to steal a helicopter from a small regional airport at gunpoint before being killed by officers.

The Hillsboro Police Department on Wednesday identified the man as 25-year-old Holden Austin Gorka.

Gorka has no address and has no known mental health or drug abuse problems.

Police say Gorka jumped a fence at the Hillsboro Airport on Tuesday and held a flight instructor and a student at gunpoint, firing at least one shot before police showed up.

That shot – and possibly a second misfire – were directed away from the victims, who were in the helicopter as it was warming up for takeoff.

Police chased Gorka across a field and then shot him.

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Police identify Oregon man who tried to seize helicopter

Jesse Tinsley

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