NYSSA, Oregon — An eight-hour standoff in Nyssa, Oregon, ended with the suspect, 58-year-old Joel Evan Brousseau, found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Warning: Witness video below shows rapid gunfire in Nyssa.
The standoff began Wednesday a little after 2 p.m. when Brousseau started firing a high-powered semi-automatic rifle, prompting a large police response. Hundreds of rounds were fired, hitting several cars and homes in the area.
RELATED: Suspect identified after standoff with law enforcement in Nyssa
"There were just gunshots going right over my head," said Alleynah Houston, whose trailer was struck by bullets. "You could hear stuff breaking and just seeing dust where all the bullets were going by."
Houston initially thought the sound was a construction crew or a nail gun, but quickly learned they were bullets. She described the terrifying experience of hiding behind her washer and dryer as bullets pierced the appliances where she was laying. Her brother helped her escape through the back door. She admits it was risky move due to the ongoing gunfire.
Her brother told Sr. Reporter Roland Beres, "God was looking out for her. That's the way my whole family believes."
The Malheur County District Attorney reported that OSP SWAT personnel, armored vehicles, and a robot operator were used to enter the home where Brousseau was located. They found his body at around 11:30 p.m.
Nobody else was hurt in the incident.
