Overnight robbery spree across outer East Portland

From Wood Village to Foster-Powell, this all-night armed robbery binge terrorized a number of convenience store clerks …

From one convenience store to the next in Parkrose, Rose City Park, Foster-Powell, Powellhurst-Gilbert – and beyond – a youthful band of criminals spends the overnight hours of July 18 sticking up clerks for cash.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

In the overnight hours of July 18, a car full of young alleged armed robbers went on a crime spree, knocking off convenience stores – but the gang seemed to prefer Plaid Pantry stores as targets.

2:19 a.m.: 6000 block of NE Win Sivers Road in Parkrose; Plaid Pantry
2:46 a.m.: 6200 block of NE Sandy Boulevard in Rose City Park; Plaid Pantry
4:41 a.m.: 7100 block of SE Powell Boulevard in Foster-Powell; a 7-Eleven
5:00 a.m.: 10300 block of SE Holgate Boulevard in Lents; Plaid Pantry
5:04 a.m.: 11200 block of SE Foster Road in Powellhurst-Gilbert; Plaid Pantry
Time unknown: Another case reported in Wood Village

The armed robberies started to come into focus as the work of a single group of people at 5:00 a.m., when Portland Police Bureau (PPB) East Precinct officers were dispatched to a report of armed robbery at a Plaid Pantry on SE Holgate Boulevard. About five minutes later, other officers were called to another armed robbery at another Plaid Pantry on SE Foster Road at 112th Avenue.

In each case, officers learned that the suspects were armed with handguns, and then drove off; the PPB dispatcher radioed out a description of the suspects and their get-away car.

Soon afterward an officer spotted a vehicle matching the description in the area of SE Foster Road and SE 140th Avenue and attempted to stop it – but instead of stopping, the driver hit the gas and sped away.

Keeping a lookout for armed robbery suspects, officers station themselves around areas of the Wilkes neighborhood, hoping to catch the robbers.

Officers followed the car, radioing the direction of the vehicle to other officers, until it stopped near NE 162nd Avenue and Halsey Street.

The occupants jumped out of the car and scattered into the neighborhood. Under the front seat, officers spotted a hidden gun. Other officers stationed themselves on street corners and mid-block in the area, locking down the area.

This is the gun officers found in the getaway car. PPB provided image

Knowing that the suspects were armed, the incident commander requested PPB’s Special Emergency Reaction Team (SERT) to help with the search.

At 6:53 a.m., a perimeter officer spotted people who matched the suspects’ descriptions riding in another car just east of the Banfield Freeway near NE 162nd Avenue and Stanton Street. Officers stopped it and took four people into custody for investigation.

Apparently, in an effort to effect a clean getaway, the suspects had used their cell phones to hail a rideshare vehicle; its driver was cooperative with officers.

Along with four suspects, this realistic-looking replica gun was found tucked under the seat of a rideshare vehicle.

A handgun was recovered from under a seat of the rideshare vehicle; it looked real, but was an airsoft-style gun.

Officers did not find a fifth suspect, believed to have run from the original car.

It’s not known if the male juvenile booked here, at the Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention Center, is still in custody.

A juvenile male was booked into the Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention Center on charges of Robbery in the First Degree (6 counts).

Two juvenile females were released, without charges, to guardians.

Facing six Class A Felony charges is 24-year-old Rashun Christopher Tyler. MCDC booking photo

However, one adult male, 24-year-old Rashun Christopher Tyler, was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center (MCDC) at 11:16 a.m. that morning on 12 counts of Robbery in the First Degree, a Class A Felony, with combined bail set at $3,000,000.

However, at his arraignment, half of those Robbery in the First Degree charges were “released” by the court, lowering Tyler’s combined bail to $1,500,000; he remains lodged in the MCDC in lieu of bail.

These cases remain under investigation.

Comments are closed.