The Associated Press
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- One man was killed and two injured early Tuesday after police returned fired at a car at a routine traffic stop. Officers said at least one occupant fired at them first as they approached the car.
Police said the car sped off, crashing into a pole in north Portland and that at least one man fired from the car as it sped away.
The two passengers were hospitalized. No police were hurt.
The dead man was identified as Eddie Homsombath, 19. Names of the other two have not been released.
Police investigators say it appears the man died of gunshot wounds. The other two were injured in the crash.
The shooting happened shortly after midnight.
“Officers surrounded the vehicle,” said police spokesman Sgt. Brian Schmautz. “Two of the three occupants came out, complied with the officer’s requests and they were taken into custody. The driver of the vehicle was deceased at the scene.”
Police said they found two handguns in the vehicle.
The shooting is in the same part of town where Kendra James, 21, was shot and killed in a traffic stop May 5.
The family of James, who is black, has filed a $10 million wrongful death suit over the shooting. Officer Scott McCollister, who fired the fatal shot, was cleared of wrongdoing by a grand jury but suspended without pay for 5 1/2 months because of tactical decisions he made before the shooting.
The shooting caused widespread demonstrations and marches largely by Portland’s black community.
Police said James, who was unarmed, was trying to drive away with McCollister, who is white, partially in the car when the shooting took place.
This is the first deadly police shooting in Portland since Derrick Foxworth took over as chief.
Former chief Mark Kroeker was forced out in August after a report from the Police Assessment Resource Center criticized the bureau for its handling of officer-involved shootings, including the James death, and other incidents.