An ex-employee, Bruce Whitman, 49, died after driving a car loaded with incendiary and improvised explosive devices into the Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland at about 2:49 a.m. on May 2. Some devices partially detonated and propane tanks were recovered; bomb‑disposal robots were used to render remaining hazards safe. Police described the event as an isolated incident not currently tied to domestic terrorism. Whitman had been fired from the club and had a prior psychiatric hold in 2022 after threatening members.
Ex-Employee Drives Explosive-Laden Car Into Multnomah Athletic Club, Dies; Police Say Incident Appears Isolated
Bruce V. Whitman; The damaged vehicle Portland police say was used in the incident on Saturday, May 2.Credit: Bruce Valentine Whitman/Facebook; Portland Police
An Oregon man died after driving a vehicle loaded with explosive devices into the Multnomah Athletic Club (MAC) in Portland’s Goose Hollow neighborhood in the early hours of May 2.
Portland police say the crash occurred at about 2:49 a.m. When the car breached the club’s front entrance it caught fire; employees who witnessed the impact called 911. First responders found the driver, later identified as 49-year-old Bruce Whitman of Portland, dead inside the vehicle. Authorities said Whitman’s cause and manner of death are pending.
Explosives, Damage and Response
Investigators recovered multiple incendiary and improvised explosive devices from the vehicle. Some devices had partially detonated and caused significant damage; propane tanks were also found. The Portland Police Bureau said specialized robots were used to assess, recover and render safe the remaining hazardous devices.
Some of the damaged propane tanks recovered by Portland police.Credit: Portland Police
Background And Ongoing Investigation
Court records and reporting from local outlets show Whitman had been fired from his bartending job at MAC and had previously made threats against club members. The club issued safety alerts on multiple occasions. In June 2022 Whitman was briefly placed on a psychiatric hold for evaluation; authorities later released him because the case did not meet Oregon’s statutory threshold for civil commitment.
“This was an isolated incident,” Portland Police Bureau Chief Bob Day said at a press conference, adding investigators do not currently believe the case is linked to domestic terrorism.
Whitman’s mother, Rita Lenzer, told Oregon Live that her son had bipolar disorder and schizophrenia and said she was stunned by his apparent involvement.
The Portland Police Bureau confirmed the investigation remains active and asked anyone with information to email [email protected] and reference case number 26-126430.
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