Details are thin at the moment.
Here’s what we do and don’t know from the Mercury’s reporting:
- The victim of the police shooting died.
- He was a white man.
- The victim has not been identified yet.
- Police allege he was reported to have a gun.
- The officer has worked at the PPB for 8 years. Identity will be released tomorrow.
- “Both less-lethal and lethal force were deployed by the officers.”
- Police refused to comment on whether the man was pointing the alleged gun at the officers before he was killed.
- Police have not disclosed how many shots were fired, and how many officers fired those shots.
- Police refused to say whether the alleged gun has been recovered by the police.
- No known injuries to anyone else.
- The police are throwing every officer available in Multnomah County to Lents park to contain a protest that has gathered since the shooting.
- Expect delays for officer responses to calls today due to resources being redirected to the park.
- Police Chief Chuck Lovell is away on vacation and isn’t expected back until April 26th.
- Juan Chavez, an attendant at the nearby AM/PM convenience store, said he saw a man standing in the middle of the intersection of 92nd and Southeast Holgate Boulevard. The man had his arms up with his shirt off and was blocking traffic, Chavez said. He appeared to be unstable and disoriented, according to Chavez, who said police showed up and then the man entered the park before he heard two gunshots.
Chavez also said that an ambulance showed up before the police did. EMTs loaded him on a gurney but ended up leaving the future-victim at the park. About 20 minutes later the police rolled up on him and ended his life.
It’s Friday, the weather is beautiful, and recent high-profile slayings by the hands of police nationwide has cop-watchers on edge. The police chief is out of town and it’s unclear that he’s been briefed on what his officers have done in his absence. Police killed a man apparently experiencing a mental health crisis and they are gathering ranks to put down protests.
Basically: tonight the police are on a one-way ticket to violating even more of the rules handed down by the settlement with the DoJ against police murdering the mentally ill and abuse-of-force against protestors. Be safe out there, folks.
The cops are geared-up, heavy in numbers, and already have a taste for blood today. Do what you gotta do to protect you and your family tonight if you live nearby their crime scene.
