Oregon's Red Flag Law Foils MAC Attack Plot

Oregon Red Flag Law Applied to MAC Attack Suspect Oregon's extreme risk protection order law, commonly known as the "red flag" gun law, was applied to Bruce Whitman, the suspect in the May 2026 Multnomah Athletic Club (MAC) attack, leading to the confiscation of his firearms prior to the incident. Whitman, 48, was the subject of two such orders in 2022 and February 2026, following his termination from the MAC and subsequent threats against the club.

A Portland police officer from the behavioral health unit initiated both extreme risk protection orders. Court records indicate that in February 2026, Whitman surrendered two firearms, a 9mm Taurus Millennium G2 and a .38 revolver, two days after a suicide attempt. The initial order in June 2022 cited Whitman's belief that MAC associates were conspiring against him.

Despite the firearm removal, Whitman allegedly drove an explosives-laden vehicle into the MAC building, causing extensive damage to the ground floor. Law enforcement sources reported that some explosive devices, believed to be propane tanks and pipe bombs, detonated.

Oregon's red flag law is among the least utilized protective orders in the state, with less than 1% of all protective order requests between 2018 and 2021 being red flag petitions. The law primarily targets white men aged 18 to 45, according to a 2023 state report.