Portland police fatally shoot carjacking suspect

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Witnesses to a fatal police shooting at a southeast Portland homeless shelter said the police were justified in taking lethal action.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports that witnesses said the man had gone into the shelter Saturday night and was slashing and stabbing himself with a knife before lunging at officers.

Morgan Thomas Pickering of Portland said Sunday the scene was “horrific” and the man was acting erratically.

Portland Police Chief Danielle Outlaw said in a statement the public should reserve judgment after someone posted video online that purportedly shows the shooting.

Officers responding to a crash Saturday learned that a car involved had been stolen in a carjacking earlier in the day.

Police found the suspected carjacker inside the nearby Cityteam Ministries Portland Shelter and were told he could be armed.

Portland Police spokesman Sgt. Chris Burley says officers responded to a report of a crash at Southeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard at about 7:30 p.m.

While responding, they learned that a car involved, a Honda CRV, had been stolen in a carjacking earlier in the day.

Police found the man they believed to be the driver nearby around 8 p.m.

Burley says during their encounter, multiple officers fired at the man, who died. No officers or bystanders were injured.