Portland Police. Photo; Darryl Brooks / Shutterstock.com A man died after being shot by a Portland police officer during an assault in downtown Portland, Oregon, on Thursday, October 15.
Two other men were hospitalized with serious but non-life-threatening injuries after being slashed with a box cutter, according to the Portland Police Bureau.
Central Precinct officers responded at approximately 4:34 p.m. to reports of a man assaulting and threatening people in the downtown area. The first officers arrived about three minutes after being dispatched and witnessed an assault in progress near Southwest Broadway.
An officer fired shots, injuring the suspect, who was an adult male. Officers immediately provided trauma first aid while waiting for paramedics. The man was taken to a hospital by ambulance, where he later died despite lifesaving efforts.
The two victims, also adult men, were transported to a hospital for treatment. Police said their injuries were serious but not life-threatening. No officers were injured in the incident.
Police recovered a box cutter with a broken blade at the scene. The weapon is believed to have been used in the attack against the two victims.
Portland Police Chief Bob Day responded to the scene and said officers had interrupted an ongoing violent assault. He expressed relief that the victims were expected to recover while acknowledging the loss of life.
“I'm saddened by the events here in Downtown Portland as a man died, and any loss of life is a tragedy for our community,” Day said in a statement. He added that detectives were working to establish the full circumstances of the incident and ensure a comprehensive review.
The Portland Police Bureau's Homicide Unit is investigating the incident. The case will also be subject to the department's internal use-of-force review, which examines the initial response, resources requested, tactics used and actions taken after the shooting.
The case will eventually be reviewed by the Police Review Board, which includes community members, police personnel and representatives from the Independent Police Review Division.
Authorities said traffic was affected in the surrounding downtown area following the shooting. Anyone with information about the incident who has not already spoken with investigators is asked to contact the Portland Police Bureau.