After four alleged stickups, and shooting up a neighborhood, see the teenagers who police are charging with these very adult crimes …
A police officer guards the crime scene, while detectives check the neighborhood for evidence.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
An evening’s binge of attempted armed robberies on that started on December 26th included alleged attempted stick-ups in the Brentwood-Darlington, Lents, and Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhoods.
Portland Police Bureau (PPB) East Precinct officers responded to a “Pedestrian Robbery with Shots Fired” call in the area of SE 80th Avenue and Flavel Street at 8:17 p.m. on the day after Christmas.
When East Portland News arrived at the scene, officers were canvassing residents along SE Flavel Street, from SE 76th to 79th Avenues to gather information.
Meantime, an officer was maintaining the crime scene, just east of SE 80th Avenue. There, on the north side SE Flavel Street, folded police business cards marked the location of shell casings next to a blue Ford F150 pickup truck with fresh bullet holes in its sheet metal.
Officers place folded business cards where bullet shell casings landed, next to this Ford F150 pickup truck, after armed thugs attempted to hold up two neighborhood youth and shot up the neighborhood.
“The 13-year-old and 16-year-old male victims told police that the suspects approached them and demanded money,” reported PPB Public Information Officer Sgt. Pete Simpson. “As the victims ran away, one of the suspects fired several shots at them, but struck only a parked pickup truck.”
About two hours later, at 10:10 p.m., other officers were called to the Lents neighborhood, where a 20-year-old female, a 20-year-old male, and a 19-year-old male said they were robbed, at gunpoint, of their wallets on Foster Road, near SE 97th Avenue.
“As officers were investigating the second robbery,” Simpson said, “an unknown person called 9-1-1 to report yet another robbery, but did not stay on the phone long enough to provide additional information.”
At SE 82nd Avenue, Flavel Street is closed down as police officers, detectives, and members of the Gang Unit investigate an armed robbery – and a shot-up neighborhood scene.
Then, at 12:35 a.m. on December 27, officers responded to a fourth robbery report near SE 112th Avenue and Powell Boulevard.
“The 19-year-old male victim provided good suspect descriptions to 9-1-1, and officers quickly arrived in the area,” said Simpson.
“Officers located the suspects and took them into custody without incident.” added Simpson. “They recovered a handgun that is believed to be the gun used in the robberies.”
17-year-old Jovon Marcus Heath and 15-year-old Michael Antone Miller face multiple felony charges, and may be tried as adults.
Later that morning, booked into the Donald E. Long Juvenile School [Detention Home] on charges of Attempted Aggravated Murder, Robbery in the First Degree (six counts), and Robbery in the Second Degree (six counts), were 17-year-old Jovon Marcus Heath and 15-year-old Michael Antone Miller.
“East Precinct officers, Gang Enforcement Team officers, and Robbery detectives worked collaboratively to collect evidence, and to interview victims and witnesses in this robbery spree, resulting in these arrests and charges,” Simpson later remarked.
Heath and Miller remain in custody, here at the Donald E. Long School, at the Multnomah County Department of Community Justice Juvenile Services detention center.
Heath and Miller were arraigned on December 29 in Multnomah County Juvenile Court.
Detectives ask that anyone with information about these robberies, or any additional victims, contact them. Victims or witnesses may contact Detective John Russell at (503) 823-0836, john.russell@portlandoregon.gov.
© 2015 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News
click here to subscribe
