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Portland man charged for fatally shooting his brother

Angel Martinez booking photo courtesy Multnomah County Jail

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A man who admitted he fatally shot his brother at a Northeast Portland apartment Saturday was arraigned and indicted in Multnomah County court Monday. 

Angel Christopher Martinez is charged with one count of first-degree manslaughter with a firearm. 

According to a probable cause affidavit, police responded to a shooting inside an apartment in the 13400 block of Northeast Sandy Boulevard at around 2:45 p.m. Saturday. 

At the scene, Angel Martinez flagged down an officer. The officer asked Angel Martinez if he was the person who had shot his brother and Angel Martinez confirmed that he was. An officer placed Angel Martinez inside a patrol car. Inside the car, Angel Martinez asked if his brother was going to be OK. He said the gun he shot him with was a .357 and that it was a “big gun.”

Police identified the victim as Christian Martinez, Angel Martinez’s brother. Officers found him inside the apartment with a gunshot wound to the chest. He died at the scene. 

Detectives interviewed Angel Martinez at the Portland Police Bureau Central Precinct. He told officers he recently purchased a new revolver and was showing it to his brother Saturday afternoon. He said his brother looked at the gun and told Angel Martinez it wasn’t working. Angel Martinez took the gun back and examined it while it was pointed at his brother. He said he pulled the trigger and the gun fired into his brother’s chest. 

Angel Martinez said he had fully loaded the gun when he first got it and said he did not know it was still loaded when he was showing it to his brother. Angel Martinez said he’s experienced with guns and knows gun safety rules. 

The Oregon State Medical Examiner determined Christian Martinez died from a gunshot wound to the chest. His death was ruled a homicide.