PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland police released body camera footage following a Sept. 27 incident in which a suspect tried to grab an officer’s firearm during a prolonged struggle, KGW8 reported.
According to the Portland Police Bureau, the incident began when officers responded to reports of a man striking passing vehicles with a metal pole. The man was reportedly seen threatening a man and child before being located near a park restroom.
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Two officers approached the suspect, who was holding a metal pipe and carrying a laptop, as he came out of the public park bathroom, video shows.
Officers grabbed the man as he exited the building, working to restrain his hands and take him into custody. The man struggled with the officer, before the video shows the man grabbing one of the officers’ firearms.
“Let go of my gun!” the officer can be heard saying.
Video then shows the scuffle moving to the ground, where the suspect appeared to be on top of the officer.
The other officer wrestled with and struck the man as he continued fighting on the ground, before tasing him. The TASER was ineffective at subduing the man.
The officer then used the TASER body to strike the man on the head as he reached for the other officer’s throat. The struggle ended when she applied a neck hold, subduing the suspect.
Both officers were treated for head and hand injuries and are recovering at home, according to the report. The officer who deployed the TASER was placed on administrative leave, in line with bureau policy after use-of-force incidents. TASER deployments, using the device to strike a suspect and using a neck hold are all considered uses of deadly force by the Portland Police Bureau.
The suspect was hospitalized before being booked into jail. He faces multiple charges, including attempted murder and assaulting a public safety officer, according to the report.
Police said the bodycam footage was released to support transparency and confirmed that an internal investigation is ongoing.
