Vehicle carrying explosives crashes into Portland athletic club, driver dead

A vehicle carrying explosives crashed through the front entrance of an athletic club in downtown Portland, Oregon, early Saturday morning, authorities said, causing significant damage to the building. The driver was found dead inside the vehicle. 

Portland Fire and Rescue said firefighters responded to a report of a vehicle driving into the front entrance of the Multnomah Athletic Club a little before 3 a.m. local time. 

The vehicle caught fire after the crash, the fire department said. Once the blaze was brought under control, law enforcement found the deceased driver inside, the Portland Police Bureau said. A club spokesperson told CBS News that no employees or members were injured. 

Portland Police Chief Bob Day told reporters over the weekend that the incident was believed to be isolated and "not related to domestic terrorism." 

Portland police on Monday identified the suspect as Bruce V. Whitman, 49, of Portland. Police said his family has been notified and that the medical examiner will determine the cause and manner of death. Police say Whitman acted alone and that this was not an act of terrorism, but rather a man acting against his previous employer.

Police said Monday that Whitman had several previous interactions with the PPB Behavioral Health Unit. He was first referred to the unit in 2021 when neighbors reported alarming behavior and that he was in possession of a firearm, police said. Law enforcement had confiscated at least one firearm from Whitman over the past few years, according to police, including in February 2022, when he was placed on a mental health hold and later released.

There were also other instances over the years of Whitman protesting outside the Multnomah Athletic Club. Police didn't share the motives behind those protests. 

Portland Police Sgt. Josh Silverman from the Behavioral Health Unit told reporters Monday that Whitman did not consistently engage in the mental health services that were offered to him. 

In a statement Monday, Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez said that Whitman "was a son, a brother, and a neighbor. He was also a man who turned a car into a weapon of mass destruction. We can hold space for a grieving mother while being clear-eyed about the consequences and dangers of untreated mental illness."

"We need more than just the power to seize weapons; we need the power and resources to sustain treatment for those in crisis," he added, in part. "This incident is a sobering reminder that mental health crises don't just happen in a vacuum—they have a public safety footprint."

Portland police said in a statement Saturday night that during a search of the vehicle and building, investigators located several incendiary and improvised explosive devices, some of which had partially detonated, and propane tanks. Investigators said Monday there were 20 propane tanks, none of which detonated, and about 10 improvised explosive devices.

Robots were used to recover and detonate some of the remaining explosive devices, police had said. 

"Some of those devices had already gone off, and so there was significant damage to the area," Portland Police Sgt. Jim Defrain had said earlier Saturday. 

Police said they served a search warrant at Whitman's home on Saturday, and family members and roommates have been cooperative. Police said they didn't find firearms at the home but found several receipts for the components for the explosive devices.

Athletic club employees had reported seeing the suspect vehicle slowly circling the building prior to the crash, police said. 

"Based on the preliminary investigation, detectives believe the driver intentionally entered the building with the intent to deploy explosive devices," police said in a previous statement.

The club said in its own statement that the facility will remain closed. It noted that the closure was expected to be prolonged. 

"Our team is cooperating fully with the Portland Police Bureau and Portland Fire & Rescue, who are leading the investigation. Out of respect for that process, we will defer to them for additional details," the statement said.

The FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are assisting Portland police with the investigation.