After Lents car crash, suspect threatens onlookers with a gun

When you read about this one, you won’t be surprised that the suspect, arrested in outer East Portland, is still in custody …

Police are called into the Lents neighborhood, after a driver who crashed his car into a parked vehicle, threatens witnesses – with a gun. PPB image

Story and photos David F. Ashton

After those who saw what appeared to be a pretty routine vehicle collision – a car running into a parked car – those nearby called the 9-1-1 Center for help when the alleged driver pulled a gun on them.

Those calls summoned Portland Police Bureau (PPB) East Precinct officers – dispatched on a “suspicious circumstances” call, on February 9, at 2:06 a.m., near the intersection o SE 92nd Avenue and Foster Road.

An officer heads out to track down the fleeing suspect.

As officers responded, a call came in from an off-duty officer in the area, who could see a man with a gun threatening people. “Responding officers learned that the suspect was running away up a pedestrian path [along Interstate 205] nearby,” a PPB official told us.

While some officers went out to track down the man, others began an investigation and learned that his vehicle had, indeed, crashed into an unoccupied car in a parking lot, partially landing on the hood of that car.

The suspect was seen trying to pull free his car, but was unsuccessful. When he was challenged, he pointed the handgun at witnesses.

The suspect’s car was traveling so fast before the crash that its velocity carried it over a sidewalk, a green strip, and onto a car parked in the Planet Fitness parking lot. PPB image

The suspect took off running north on the I-205 Multiuse Path. But fleet-footed cops caught up with him about four block north, and a bit east of the freeway, near SE 96th Avenue and Harold Street.

This is the Glock semiautomatic police say the suspect discarded near where he was arrested. PPB image

“The subject was not cooperative, and began walking away from officers; a K9 was deployed, and held the suspect until he could be arrested,” the police official said – adding that a gun had been found nearby.

Officers arrested 22-year-old Shabar Unique Johnson, and booked him into the Multnomah County Detention Center (MCDC) at 5:32 a.m. that morning on charges of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, and Menacing.

Facing three felony and five misdemeanor charges is 22-year-old Shabar Unique Johnson. MCDC booking photo

However, at his arraignment, Johnson learned that the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office had added more charges, and he will now also be called to answer for charges of Coercion, two counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, two counts of Menacing, Harassment, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.

Johnson was moved from MCDC, and is currently being held on $55,000 combined bail at Inverness Jail.

If anyone witnessed the car being driven before, or during the crash, please contact the primary investigator, Officer Jason Reando, at jason.reando@portlandoregon.gov – and reference “case number 20-45614”.

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