3 PPB officer-involved shootings, still no body cams
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- A group of people gathered Sunday night at Ventura Park in Southeast Portland to remember Johnathan Worth, who was killed by a Portland police officer while resisting arrest on July 24.
That was the first of 3 officer-involved shootings in Portland in a matter of days, shootings that left 2 people dead. City data shows PPB officers shot 4 people to death in 2021, with another 3 deaths so far this year.
The shooting death of Worth, 19, was caught on video by Chris Ponte of Oregon Cop Watch. Later that night, Ponte told KOIN 6 News, “I believe the officers in their hearts were legit trying to defend themselves. But the pistol was not in the guy’s hand at the time when she shot him 6 times.”
On Wednesday, officers responded to a report that someone was shooting a gun in the front yard of a home on Southeast 126th Avenue near East Burnside Street. Once officers arrived, police said an officer from the Focused Intervention Team fired their weapon — killing the suspect.
The day before an officer shot at a suspect who tried to run them over. But that suspect got away and it's unclear if they were injured.
“Earlier this week we had three officer involved shootings in rapid succession. This is the first time that has ever happened in the history of this city," Mayor Ted Wheeler said. “Each of these situations is fundamentally different, but it appears what we are seeing is a combination of people firing firearms in public, in circumstances that are endangering the larger public.”
The mayor said each shooting will be fully investigated by the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office, the Independent Police Review and Internal Affairs.
But PPB has gotten pushback for its lack of body cameras and the decision to withhold the name of the officer involved in the Burnside shooting, citing doxxing concerns.
"PPB has determined that there are credible security threats to officers involved in recent shootings and therefore PPB is withholding the name of the involved member during the pendency of the doxxing investigation," the bureau said in a statement on Friday.
PPA President Aaron Schmautz is firmly behind body cameras.
"PPA has been asking for body-worn cameras since, I think, 2012," Schmautz told KOIN 6 News.
He said they are still bargaining over body cameras and hope to reach an agreement on how to implement their use soon.
"I think video is very important. It is not the only thing that matters," he said. "It's important that we have, you know, access to all available evidence to ensure that the community has an active and full recounting of what our police officers are experiencing and the actions they're taking."
Police and city officials say the officers are facing unprecedented levels of violence. People at the vigil for Johnathan Worth say 3 officer-involved shootings in one week is 3 too many.