Two dead after Centennial shooting

Week #151 Shooting Report | Oddly, one of the two victims didn’t die from the gunshots. Read all about it, plus, see what our police officers have been doing in their ‘spare time’ this week …

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

Why a Week # 151 Shooting Report? CLICK HERE to learn why.

Read on to see how both the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) East Precinct Neighborhood Response Team, and the Focused Intervention team (FIT) officers, were kept busy finding and arresting car thieves, drug dealers, people with illegal guns – oh yes, and shoplifters too.

First, this week’s homicides.

April 30
Two men dead after shooting in Centennial neighborhood

A residential street, behind a large shopping center in the Centennial neighborhood, is closed off as a double homicide investigation begins.

Early on Sunday morning, April 30, Portland Police Bureau (PPB) East Precinct officers were dispatched to a “Shots Fired” incident near the intersection of SE Powell Boulevard and Naegeli Drive – on the very edge of outer East Portland, in the Centennial neighborhood.

Dispatched at 3:14 a.m., the arriving officers located a deceased male at the first location.

A short time later, officers found an additional deceased man in the 17100 block of SE Naegeli Drive, behind the BiMart and Oriental Food Value stores.

Officers move into the area to help PPB Homicide Division detectives with their investigation

“The suspect or suspects left the scene before police arrived, and no arrests have been made,” a PPB spokesperson said at the time.

As the PPB’s Homicide Unit rolled in and began investigating the deaths, SE Naegeli Drive was closed down – and stayed that way most of the night – between SE Powell Boulevard and 174th Avenue.

One dies of shooting, the second of ‘other’ causes

Officials say this man, 34-year-old Harry O. Latour, Jr., died as a result of being shot.

On May 4 Portland Police identified one of the victims as 34-year-old Harry O. Latour, Jr. The Medical Examiner determined that he died of “homicide by gunshot”.

However, officials declined to identify the other man who died nearby. “The Medical Examiner determined that he was shot – but died of something other than homicidal violence,” the PPB official said. “The cause of death is undetermined, pending toxicology test results.”

Clearly, this case remains under investigation. If you have information about this incident, contact Detective Brad Clifton at Brad.Clifton@police.portlandoregon.gov, 503-823-0696 or Detective Tony Harris at tony.harris@police.portlandoregon.gov, (503)823-0441 and reference Case No. 23-111647.

More cop missions this week, more arrests

PPB East Precinct District Officers are going to call after call within their coverage zone, but when members of the Bureau’s East Precinct Neighborhood Response Team (NRT) aren’t providing “cover” – they go on missions to reduce crime.

NRT officers locate a stolen car – with the doped driver’s pipe still sitting on the vehicle’s console. PPB image

On May 2, East Precinct NRT officers found three occupied stolen vehicles within 45 minutes. Two of the vehicles eluded police, took off, and were not captured.

“However, one of the cars was parked in the Home Depot Mall 205 lot with the driver slumped over in it,” a NRT officer later reported. “Inside the vehicle was drug paraphernalia; the individual had multiple stolen vehicle charges.”

On May 4, the East Precinct NRT ran a “dedicated patrol around Mall 205; it was a small footprint with ‘impactful’ results,” as a sergeant put it.

We can’t show this suspect’s face under current Oregon law, but we’re guessing he wears a size 38” waist |30” long in Goodfellow & Co. brand blue jeans. PPB image

This suspect didn’t get away with shoplifting at Mall 205 – this time. PPB image

Eight suspects were taken into custody for retail theft, possessing stolen vehicles, and one warrant – for a wanted suspect sought for a Multnomah County homicide.

May 4 ~ Evening
FIT officers bust suspects with guns and drugs

A PPB FIT officer takes an evidence bag from the vehicle.

The PPB’s Focused Intervention Team (FIT) officers made two significant gun seizures the evening of May 4 in outer East Portland.

7:26 p.m. ~ Illegal gun located in car

Near NE Lombard Street and 89th Avenue in the Sumner neighborhood, FIT officers observed a vehicle committing multiple traffic violations.

The serial numbers on this Glock have been obliterated; it may be a stolen gun. PPB images

“The officers stopped a vehicle in which a pistol was located under the seat; it was a firearm with a switch, making it capable of fully-automatic fire,” said PPB Public Information Officer Sergeant Kevin Allen. “The serial number had been obliterated.

“Two men in the vehicle were arrested and are facing gun charges; and one had pending charges from a previous gun case,” Sgt. Allen added.

19-year old Dylan Dashawn Jackson and 20-year-old Antonio Chris Hall were both booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center (MCDC) at 7:45 p.m. – both on charges of Possession of an Illegal Weapon (a Class B Felony) and Possession of a Loaded Firearm (a Misdemeanor).

The driver, Jackson, did not have a driver’s license. Hall has pending felony charges from a warrant from a previous FIT case, Sgt. Allen revealed.

The day after they were jailed, both Jackson and Hall remained in custody at the MCDC. Curiously, the status of all charges against both individuals from this current arrest is listed as “Released”.

If you have information about this incident, and have not yet spoken with police, call the non-emergency number at (503) 823-3333, or email crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov about Case No. 23-116208.

9:00 p.m. ~ Guns, illegal drugs, no driver’s license

Officers making a traffic stop find drugs and a gun in the car.

In the Hazelwood neighborhood, FIT officers stopped a gray BMW on SE 122nd Avenue near Stark Street for a moving violation.

Officers learned that the driver, 24-year-old Kenny Thi didn’t have a driver’s license –but what Thi did have in his car got him into real trouble.

“A firearm was recovered underneath Thi’s seat,” Sgt. Allen said. “Upon the inventory of the vehicle, officers found narcotics, packaging materials, and a small digital scale.”

After less than a day in jail, three-Felony suspect 24-year-old Kenny Thi was set free, back into our community — but you are not allowed to see his booking photo in order to watch out for him. CLICK HERE for why.

As his vehicle was towed from the scene, Thi was arrested. He was booked into the MCDC at 9:54 p.m. on three Felonies, and two Misdemeanor charges of Unlawful Possession of Firearm, Loaded Firearm in Public, and two counts each of Delivery of MDMA (known as “Molly”), and Delivery of Cocaine.

Perhaps as no surprise to readers, Thi was turned back into our community the very next day without paying any bail. Release Reason: Released on Own Recognizance.

If you have information about this incident, and have not yet spoken with police, call the non-emergency number at (503) 823-3333 or email crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov about Case No. 23-116328.

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Officers: Keep up the good work as you continue to take a “bite out of crime” in outer East Portland!

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