Oregon Public Broadcasting

An Oregon National Guardsman committed suicide Friday outside a military facility in Salem. April Baer reports.

The man's name hasn't been released. Authorities still need to get in touch with his family. But the Oregon State Police have confirmed the victim was a 25-year-old member of the Guard.

Lt. Gregg Hastings with the State Police says an officer responded to a report of a suicidal man, at the Guard's Anderson Readiness Center a little after 8 a.m.

Gregg Hastings   "One of our lieutenants was in the area, he was the first to respond. He pulled into the parking lot., spotted the vehicle associated with the man. He pulled in behind it, perpendicular. At that time, the man tried to back out."

Hastings says the man's vehicle collided with the state patrol car. The soldier then shot himself, and died within the hour at Salem Hospital.

Guard spokesman Major Mike Braibish said the man had been with the Guard for several years, and worked at Anderson, but could not specify his position, or hometown.