After standoff with police, murder suspect arrested in Centennial

INCLUDES ACTION VIDEO | Discover why many as 55 Portland Police Bureau officers were at SE 148th Avenue, south of Division Street, on December 28. Although the suspect shot at officers, no one seems to have been injured …

After a wanted murder suspect flees from police in the Centennial neighborhood – and then starts shooting at officers – Portland Police Bureau personnel move into the area, blocking off SE 148th Avenue at Division Street.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

An incident that turned into a four-hour standoff with Portland Police Bureau (PPB) officers on Thursday evening, December 28, started at 8:09 p.m. when East Precinct officers responded to a report that a wanted murder suspect had been seen near SE Division Street and 143rd Avenue.

Arriving officers saw the homicide suspect, later identified as 30-year-old Jessie Garza III, leaving an apartment and driving away. “Officers deployed spike strips and deflated the tires of the vehicle,” said PPB Public Information Officer Sergeant Kevin Allen.

Watch as law enforcement officers muster to confront an armed, shooting suspect. In this video, Portland Police Bureau Public Information Officer Sergeant Kevin Allen describes what is taking place, as the incident was underway:

Murder suspect flees, on flat tires
With tires deflated, Garza drove to a duplex in a no-name apartment complex owned by the Housing Authority of Portland Oregon on SE 148th Avenue, just north of Taggart Street – directly across the street from the Franciscan Montessori Earth School and St. Francis Academy, both of them closed for Holiday Break.

On the ground the PPB’s Special Emergency Reaction Team moves in equipment and officers.

When challenged by police, Garza pulled out a handgun and began firing shots at the officers.

“Officers moved to positions of cover as Garza ran into an apartment; he continued firing numerous shots at police from inside the apartment,” Sergeant Allen said.

Soon, 55 PPB officers and command staff had gathered outside; and additional officers from the Gresham Police Department and East Metro SWAT arrived to provide support.

Alongside the Fred Meyer store at SE 148th Avenue and Division Street, SERT support staff and Portland Fire & Rescue’s Paramedic move into the area.

Neighbor hears gunshots
“Coming outside of Freddie’s [at SE 148th Avenue and Division Street], I heard a lot of gunshots coming from down the street; all kinds of cops were driving in and down the street,” a shopper told East Portland News as she stood, waiting for a ride, just outside the perimeter that had been locked down.

As some officers surrounded the apartment, others closed streets and sidewalks; PPB Command Staff activated their Special Emergency Reaction Team (SERT) and the Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) as well as the Bureau’s Air Support Unit airplane and small Unmanned Aerial System (drone) operators.

The faint green and blue lights, high overhead, were from one of the PPB’s Unmanned Aerial System drones, flown to the duplex where the suspect was shooting at police.

Incident Commanders activated the Portland Public Alerts system to notify nearby community members of the incident, with an order to stay inside, lock doors and windows, and to stay away from external windows.

Numerous SERT personnel, some in three armored vehicles, swarmed into the incident’s perimeter between SE Division Street and Powell Boulevard, and from SE 148th to 153rd Avenues.

Soon, SE 148 Avenue is closed down, looking north of SE Powell Boulevard.

Through various means of communications, CNT operatives made it clear to Garza that he was surrounded, they weren’t leaving until he was in custody, that police dogs might be sent in to apprehend him – all while reassuring him that if he did surrender peaceably, he would be safe.

At 12:03 a.m., Garza came out of the apartment and surrendered to police and was arrested. No shots were fired by police officers, and no injuries have been reported.

As more officers enter the area, they receive orders from PPB Incident Commanders.

Garza identified by Homicide Unit detectives
PPB Homicide Unit detectives, investigating the December 14 homicide of Richard Newman in the 16500 block of SE Bush Street [as reported in East Portland News. CLICK HERE to see that story], developed solid information that identified Garza as their prime suspect in that shooting death.

We are forbidden to publish the booking photo of this felon-on-parole, and shooting murder suspect, Centennial neighborhood resident 30-year-old Jessie Garza III. CLICK HERE for details.

Garza was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on December 29 at 4:06 a.m. on a warrant for Murder in the First Degree with a Firearm and numerous other charges. He was also booked on probable cause of Attempted Murder and Unlawful Use of a Weapon for shooting at police officers. Additional charges are possible.

Later on December 29, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office presented the December 14 Centennial homicide case to a Grand Jury. Garza was indicted by the Grand Jury on charges of Murder in the First Degree with a Firearm, Coercion with a Firearm, Burglary in the First Degree with a Firearm (2 counts), Felon in Possession of a Firearm, and Unlawful Use of a Weapon (2 counts).

Garza faces 46 charges
So far, Garza is facing a total of 46 charges in seven (7) different Court Case actions. These include total of 31 Felony and 15 Misdemeanor charges – along with a Felony Parole Violation charge.

The startling statistics regarding Garza begs the question: Why was this apparently dangerous man, an already a convicted felon on parole, not already behind bars?

© 2023 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™

 

 

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