“Identification of Officers in Deadly Force Incident on July 22, 2023 in Gresham”

Three officers involved in a deadly force incident in Gresham on July 22, 2023, have been identified by the Portland Police Bureau. The officers, Justin Thurman, Timothy Hoerauf, and Seth Wingfield, remain on administrative leave while the investigation is ongoing. The Bureau will conduct an internal review of the incident, and the case will go before the Police Review Board. The full investigation files will be posted on the Bureau’s Open Data page once the legal process is complete. Portland Police reported

On August 6, 2023, the Portland Police Bureau released information regarding the officers involved in a deadly force incident that occurred in Gresham on July 22, 2023. The officers were identified as Officer Justin Thurman, Officer Timothy Hoerauf, and Officer Seth Wingfield, who have 16, 12, and 7 years of experience respectively. Currently, the officers remain on administrative leave while the investigation is ongoing. The investigation is being led by the East County Major Crimes Team and the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office.

As part of the review process for the use of force, the Bureau will conduct an internal review of the entire incident, including the initial response, resources requested, tactics used, and post-shooting actions. The case will also be presented before the Police Review Board, which consists of community members, Bureau members, and representatives from the Independent Police Review Division.

The Portland Police Bureau has a directive outlining the procedures followed after an officer-involved shooting, which can be found on their website. Once the investigation and legal process are complete, the investigative files and any grand jury transcripts will be posted on the Bureau’s Open Data page. Information on past officer-involved shootings can also be found on the website.

In a separate announcement, the Portland Police Bureau provided a detailed timeline of events related to a shooting at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center that occurred during the past week. The timeline, based on computer-aided dispatch entries, highlights key points of interest during the incident. It was clarified that the times listed may not reflect the exact timing of events, but rather when the information was entered into the dispatch system.

The announcement also mentioned that the investigation into the officer-involved shooting is ongoing and that further information will be released following the investigation and Grand Jury process. The names of the officers involved will be released within 15 days, as per policy.

The timeline of events at Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital began with a threats call to 911 and the dispatch of two officers and a sergeant to the scene. The officers arrived at the hospital, and shortly after, it was reported that a hospital security officer was down. Officers requested resources to lock down the building and obtained a description of the suspect, which was broadcasted over the air.

Additional resources, including the Special Emergency Reaction Team (SERT) and Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT), were activated, and officers began making their way to the shooting scene on the 5th floor. Meanwhile, dispatch continued to receive information about shots fired and the suspect leaving the hospital on a moped.

Hospital security reviewed footage showing the suspect leaving the hospital before officers broadcast an updated description of the suspect. A passerby reported a possible sighting of the suspect at a nearby Fred Meyer store, leading officers to shift their focus to that location. However, video footage from the Fred Meyer did not show the suspect entering the building.

An East Precinct Sergeant took the initiative to check other possible locations where the suspect might have fled based on previous police contacts. In the area of Northeast 138th Avenue and Northeast Sandy Boulevard, the sergeant spotted an individual matching the suspect’s description hiding in bushes. The sergeant followed the suspect, who got into a white van or ambulance, and provided updates until the van was eventually stopped in Gresham.

On July 22, 2023, officers responded to a shooting at Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital, initially believing it to be an active shooter incident. However, it became clear that the incident was confined, and the suspect was no longer an immediate danger to those inside the hospital. The victim of the shooting was identified as Bobby Smallwood, who succumbed to his injuries. The officer-involved shooting is being investigated by the Gresham Police Department, and the Portland Police Bureau will release the names of the officers involved within 15 days.

The investigation into the officer-involved shooting in Gresham is ongoing, and Northeast 181st Avenue is closed during the investigation. Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact the Gresham Police Department. The Portland Mayor’s office has been briefed on the situation, and in addition to the East County Major Crimes investigation, the Bureau will conduct an internal review of the entire incident..