Portland Police Proximity Deaths/Injuries: 1992-2023

PORTLAND POLICE PROXIMITY DEATHS/INJURIES:
1992-2023

Compiled by Portland Copwatch.
Please credit Portland Copwatch in any republication.
Portland Copwatch regrets any errors and welcomes corrections and any further information on these or other incidents.

In early 2014, we decided to start migrating from our list of shootings and deaths in custody those cases in which it is unclear whether the use of Portland Police firearms led directly or indirectly to the wounding or deaths of the persons. We believe these incidents should have been thoroughly investigated as if the Portland officers used deadly force; most of them were not.

We have also included incidents where officers used deadly force and were investigated for it but it was not a shooting and did not result in a death.

We created this list to help keep the main list more streamlined and clear. This is a work in progress.

Email copwatch@portlandcopwatch.org with questions, corrections, updates, etc.

Posted March 13, 2014, last updated July 22, 2023

Name/age/gender/ethnicity/abilities (if known) Date Type of case People's Police Report issue # (if any)

2023

Brian Bruman, 32, male 2/11/23 Deadly force - Blunt object/rifle butt (injured) PPR 89 (IPR article)

2021

Shane Travis, 43, male 10/21/21 Death in proximity ("suicide") PPR 85
Tai Anh Tran, 46, male 3/31/21 Death in proximity ("suicide") PPR 84

2018

Jonathan Harris, 31, male 10/31/18 Deadly Force- Choke hold (injured) PPR 76
Christopher Gene Cannard, 59, male 4/19/18 Death in proximity (car chase leads to head on crash) PPR 75

2015

Quintrell Holiman, 26, male, African American 2/24/15 Death in proximity ("suicide") *** PPR 65

2012

     John Wimberly Smith, 44, male      4/29/12     Death in proximity ("suicide") **      PPR 57
     Christopher Karl Bullert, 48, male      4/25/12     Death in proximity ("suicide") **      PPR 57
     Ervin Jeff Dirnbaugh, 30, male      4/16/12     Death in proximity ("suicide") **      PPR 57

2008

George Hawkins, 43, male 10/25/08 Shooting (by railway police; PPB officers were present) PPR 46

1997

Gene Amos Tawney, 55, male and Millman Napier, 74, male 12/26/97 Death in proximity (car chase leads to suspect crashing into victims)

**-These three "suicides" occurred in a two week period while the PPB was under investigation for excessive use of force.
PCW believes they should be further examined for full explanation of police conduct.
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***-This person was chased by police after he allegedly shot at them when leaving a nightclub.
Police fired "beanbags" and a flashbang at Holiman. Many do not believe his death was a suicide.
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