PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A day after a man was killed in an officer-involved shooting in Southeast Portland — a scene caught on video and obtained by KOIN 6 News — the man’s friends and family, civil rights activists and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler are calling for a thorough investigation into what happened, something Portland Police Chief Danielle Outlaw promised to deliver.
Wheeler, Outlaw and the ACLU of Oregon, a non-profit civil rights activists, all released statements on Sunday regarding the the shooting.
“It would be highly irresponsible for me to participate in speculation at this time,” Wheeler said as part of a full statement. “I urge us all to allow investigators to do their work, to uncover the facts, and to report on their findings.”
“Was there any attempt to de-escalate the situation before officers open fire inside the homeless shelter full of innocent bystanders?” the ACLU asked in a statement. “If not, why not?”
“The Police Bureau is committed to transparency and will ensure the entire investigation is released in a timely manner that does not impact the integrity of the investigation,” Outlaw said as a part of her statement.
While they weighed in on the situation, friends and family members of John Elifritz, the man killed in the officer-involved shooting, gathered at the Cityteam Ministries in Southeast Portland — where the shooting happened — for a vigil.
Elifritz — never officially identified by Portland Police as the person killed in the shooting, but whose identity was confirmed to KOIN 6 News by friends — was suspected of crashing a stolen vehicle on Saturday night before he entered the ministry, followed by a swarm of police officers, witness video showed. He died on scene.
Victoria Nevarez said she went to Franklin High School with Elifritz. She, too, asked for more information on what led up tp the shooting.
“We don’t know what happened last night, it’s all bits and pieces, but what we do know is we don’t want to see our men getting killed,” Nevarez said.
Nevarez remembered Elifritz as someone who would go out of his way to help others.
“He was a man who would give the shirt off his back and the last $5 in his pocket to anybody who needed it,” Nevarez said.
“He loved everybody that he touched and everybody loved him, and his family is devastated.”
Family and friends were also joined outside Cityteam by protesters. “Care not cops” signs, asking for more money poured into mental care rather than into the police bureau, were seen in bunches.
“I’m out here protesting extrajudicial police murder, especially in this sanctuary,” said Antigonus Rose with the Montavilla Neighborhood Association.
Nevarez wants more information, but she did say deadly force by police wasn’t required in this case.
“It seems to be happening on a daily basis throughout this community … We know that what happened was inappropriate on the police brutality, and we just wanted to be here and stand up for John,” she said.
Full statements
Portland Police Chief Danielle Outlaw
“The Portland Police Bureau values human life and accepts the authority to use lethal force with great reverence,” Outlaw said in a press release. “I am aware a video was taken of this incident by a community member and that video was posted to the internet. Please be reminded that deadly force investigations are extremely complex and take time. The Police Bureau is committed to transparency and will ensure the entire investigation is released in a timely manner that does not impact the integrity of the investigation.”
The ACLU of Oregon
“Bystander video of the fatal shooting of a man in a homeless shelter in Portland last night raises serious questions about how police handled the situation and whether lethal force was called for. Trained police officers should use the least amount of force necessary.
“The video shows a disturbing and chaotic scene of people in the shelter running and yelling in fear, while others looked on, including one person in a wheelchair, as Portland Police officers enter the building with guns drawn. In less than a minute, officers shoot and kill the man, while members of an already traumatized population, Portland’s homeless community, watch in horror. Was there any attempt to de-escalate the situation before officers open fire inside the homeless shelter full of innocent bystanders? If not, why not?
“We join many in the community by calling for a prompt, thorough, and transparent investigation into this shooting. The public deserves to get a detailed account of why this man was shot and what actions Portland Police took to avoid yet another fatal shooting.
“This marks the fifth fatal shooting by police in Oregon in 2018, putting it on track to be one of the deadliest years yet. Such excessive force by police is particularly disturbing given its disproportionate impact on people of color. Drastic changes are needed in our approach to public safety. Law enforcement in Oregon should treat all communities with dignity, employ restraint on police power, and use only the degree of force necessary to maintain the community’s safety.
“Were it not for the bystander video, Portlanders would again have no record of an interaction with police that turned deadly. To provide more objective evidence of police encounters, law-enforcement agencies should adopt use of body-worn cameras. Body-worn cameras could increase transparency, promote police accountability, and help ensure interactions with community members are fair and lawful.”
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler
“Last night officers responded to multiple calls for service regarding a suspect that ultimately ended in an officer involved shooting,” Wheeler said in a statement. “The loss of a life is always tragic. My priority is to discover the facts and circumstances regarding this incident. Already, there are those who want to immediately define what happened. It would be highly irresponsible for me to participate in speculation at this time. I urge us all to allow investigators to do their work, to uncover the facts, and to report on their findings.”