Eric F. Oelkers (KOIN).
An Oregon man accused of shooting two police officers who confronted him on a sidewalk had a lot to say during a court appearance on Wednesday.
Eric F. Oelkers, 41, is facing two counts each of attempted aggravated murder, attempted assault and unlawful use of a weapon, among other charges. Two officers with the Portland police responded shortly before 8:30 p.m. Jan. 19 to a call about a threat with a weapon in the area of Northeast 21st Avenue and Northeast Clackamas Street.
When cops located the suspect, they ordered him to put his hands on his head. Instead of complying with their orders, Oelkers allegedly opened fire, striking two of them before he ran away. According to The Oregonian, Oelkers had allegedly pulled the gun from a tote bag, and police noted that Oelkers was seen "carrying a black backpack and a green shopping bag."
The officers did not return fire. Paramedics rushed the cops to the hospital, and they have since been released. Oelkers was arrested on Jan. 26 after a weeklong manhunt.
He was arraigned on the charges on Wednesday and was very vocal when he appeared before the judge.
"This entire process is an unconstitutional and illegal insurrection," he said, according to a courtroom report from The Oregonian newspaper. "Trump knows it. Trump's coming."
As he was leaving the courtroom he reportedly yelled "have fun in hell."
The suspect also railed against undocumented immigrants and Antifa in a hearing last month after his arrest and asked if his public defender was AI.
"You're all in active rebellion against the United States of America," he declared.
Per The Oregonian, Oelkers also had a hate crime warrant out for his arrest after he allegedly vandalized a Black-owned business in Salem in 2021. Jonathan Jones, the owner of Epilogue Kitchen and Cocktails, told Oregon Public Broadcasting that Oelkers was one of several vandals during that time. Jones said in an interview with the outlet Oelkers was among "a mob of people" from far-right groups that were protesting the 2020 election outside of his restaurant.
Oelkers remains at the Multnomah County Jail without bond.