Marion County DA releases details of fatal officer-involved shooting, says wanted Salem man had knife, threatening note

(Update: DA's office releases info)

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Marion County District Attorney's Office has released details of a fatal officer-involved shooting on Thursday at the Army Aviation Training Center, including the names of the wanted man who was killed and the OSP trooper who shot and killed him.

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The Salem Police Department is conducting an officer use of deadly physical force investigation from an incident that occurred earlier today near the security gate at the Governor Ted Kulongoski Army Aviation Training Center off Turner Road in Salem, Oregon, on February 27, 2025.

The incident began when the Oregon State Police responded to an individual who provided a threatening note to the guard stationed outside the airfield.  Specifically, the computer-aided dispatch report available to the responding Trooper stated that a "male subject is at the guard shack in the front handed a note to RP [reporting party] saying I will give you 10 minutes to decide, something about laying down arms[.] This is the second time subj [subject] has appeared at the loc [location] in the last 3 days[.]"  The trooper contacted the suspect outside the guard station.  A confrontation ensued and shots were fired.

The suspect's open knife was located at the scene.

The suspect has been identified as Matthew Walter Wong, 22, of Salem, Oregon. He was declared deceased at the scene. At the time of his death, Mr. Wong had an active warrant for his arrest in Marion County Circuit Court case 24CR12276 for Unlawful Use of a Weapon.

The Marion County District Attorney's Office, in coordination with the Salem Police Department, has contacted next of kin and are providing the decedent's family services through a Marion County District Attorney's Office family support liaison.

No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.

The involved law enforcement officer is Oregon State Police Senior Trooper Justin Oxenrider. He has been a Trooper with the Oregon State Police for 18 years. Senior Trooper Oxenrider is a K9 Trooper and his K9 partner was present and in the Trooper's vehicle during the incident, however his K9 partner detects explosives and is not used for enforcement purposes. 

In accordance with Marion County's Law Enforcement Intentional Use of Deadly Physical Force Response Plan ("SB111 plan"), which outlines investigatory standards for deadly force investigations, the Salem Police Department was requested to conduct the use of deadly force investigation because they were not involved in the incident.  Salem Police detectives are working with the Marion County District Attorney's Office to complete the investigation.

Once the investigation is concluded it will be sent to the Marion County District Attorney's Office for presentation to a Grand Jury. No further information will be released at this time to preserve the Grand Jury's official inquiry, and all future information will be released by the Marion County District Attorney's Office after the presentation to the Grand Jury.

Earlier story:

An Oregon State Police trooper was called Thursday morning to a report of a suspicious person at the Army Aviation Support Facility in Salem and encountered a suspect, leading to a deadly use of force, OSP reported.

At 10 a.m., OSP responded to the Army Aviation Support Facility #1, at 1921 Turner Road SE, in response to a reported suspicious person.

"A trooper responded to the scene and located the suspect, which culminated in a deadly use of force," a news release stated. "A single suspect was struck by gunfire and declared deceased at the scene."

The incident occurred outside the aviation flight facility, Oregon Military Department Director of Public Affairs Lt. Col. Stephen Bomar told KTVZ News.

“The facility security initially called 911 and alerted the authorities,” Bomar said.

OSP said no law enforcement or other community members were injured during the incident.

Turner Road SE was closed at the incident location due to the ongoing investigation.

The Marion County Law Enforcement Officer Deadly Use of Force Plan under Senate Bill 111 has been initiated for this incident and the Salem Police Department is conducting the primary investigation under the direction of the Marion County District Attorney's Office.

Any further information will be released by the Salem Police Department or the Marion County District Attorney's Office.