The attack occurred just before 3am in Portland's Goose Hollow neighborhood, according to multiple reports. Security footage captured a dark SUV barreling into the club, shattering glass and tearing across the ground floor. Some of the devices detonated, igniting a blaze that caused millions of dollars in damage. No one else was injured, police said.
Investigators believe the driver, identified by family as 45-year-old Bruce Whitman, packed the vehicle with explosive materials including propane tanks and pipe bombs before smashing through the front doors. Authorities said Whitman rented a black Nissan Rogue the day before the attack. Once the blaze was brought under control, a person was found dead inside the vehicle. The Explosive Disposal Unit recovered evidence of explosive materials from the wreckage.
And then I didn't hear from him. Until I got a call from the detective the next morning.
Whitman had previously worked as a bartender at the Multnomah Athletic Club but was fired, according to multiple reports. Court documents show Whitman later turned up at the homes of club members and made threats, and was spotted repeatedly outside the facility confronting people connected to it. Whitman's mother, Rita Lenzer, told reporters that Whitman had been diagnosed earlier this year with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia following a mental health crisis that led to a stay at a Portland behavioral health facility after a suicide attempt. Court records show Whitman was subject to two separate 'red flag' orders—in 2022 and again this year—requiring him to surrender firearms due to concerns about potential violence. Two days after his most recent crisis, he gave up two guns.
Whitman's mother confirmed to reporters that Whitman was responsible after being contacted by detectives. According to Daily Mail - News, Rita Lenzer described not hearing from her son until a detective called the next morning. She also said that if the club was brought up, it made him angry. The club's first floor housed a casual restaurant, formal event spaces, a members' lounge, a retail store and the front desk. Club spokesperson Adam Linnman said in a statement that the crash occurred when the club was closed and that no club members or staff were injured. "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," Linnman said. Special agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also were responding. The Multnomah Athletic Club bills itself as the largest private athletic and social club in the US, founded in 1891 and boasting more than 21,000 members.
If it was brought up, you could tell, you know, it made him angry.