Rene Bravo
Sirens were heard seemingly all around Keizer Tuesday, March 2, at approximately 10 p.m. The cause was a domestic violence incident involving a sergeant at Silverton Police Department.
The man had to be subdued by a K9 officer after barricading himself in a west Keizer home. The man’s wife, two children and neighbors had to be evacuated by police.
Keizer police officers responded to a home in the 5400 block of Lakeport Street North on a reported domestic disturbance.
The victim reported that her husband, Silverton Police Department Sgt. Rene Bravo, 60, was threatening her with a knife. She also reported struggling with Bravo as he attempted to gain control of a loaded rifle.
Upon arriving at the call, responding officers quickly entered the home and located the victim and her two children in the residence and evacuated them. Officers found Bravo in the house wearing a bullet-resistant vest and refusing to comply with officers’ commands, eventually barricading himself in the home.
Because Bravo reportedly had access to weapons and was not compliant with the officers, neighboring homes were evacuated.
Personnel from Keizer Police Department, Oregon State Police, Salem Police Department, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office secured the house and surrounding area to ensure public safety. Salem Police SWAT was called to respond at 11 p.m. Bravo still refused to surrender to negotiators and other personnel but eventually emerged from the home about 1:40 a.m. when he was subdued by a SWAT K9 officer.
Bravo was treated by medics at the scene for minor injuries and transported to Salem Health before being transported to the Linn County jail, where he was lodged.
Bravo was charged by the Marion County District Attorney’s office with second degree assault constituting domestic violence, unlawful use of a weapon, attempt to commit a class A misdemeanor and interfering with a peace.
He is being held without bail.
According to public records, Bravo was previously employed as a military police officer with the Oregon National Guard, an officer with the Hubbard Police Department, and a reserve officer with Aurora Police Department. He was also listed as a training officer between 2014-15 with the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training.
