(Support Free Thought) – Portland, OR – A community is outraged after a father and U.S. Navy veteran was shot and killed by police while witnesses claim he was being a good Samaritan and trying to break up a fight, but when his handgun fell out of its holster and he reached to pick it up, police did not hesitate to open fire on him. The handgun was legal and the victim had a permit to carry it concealed.
Although the incident happened in June, the body camera footage was just released on Friday after a grand jury ruled that neither of the cops would be charged for killing Jason E. Washington, 45, a beloved father of three daughters who married his high school sweetheart, served in the Navy, and was working as a U.S. postal worker. He was also the only one who attempted to break up a fight that broke out on a street corner in downtown Portland while nearby police did nothing to help.
The video shows Washington attempting to corral a man in a blue shirt, who Smith said was responsible for starting the conflict because he was using racial slurs against a Black man nearby.
"The guy in blue had used some racial slurs earlier when they were in the street kiddy corner to where they were in this video and that's what brought it to this point, and started the whole thing," Smith said.
At one point, the handgun Washington was carrying in a holster on his right hip becomes visible, and then Washington tripped.
As is the case with numerous officer-involved shootings across the country, when an officer yells the word "GUN," it is used as a warning sign to let other officers know that a suspect is armed and in many cases it serves as justification for the officers who open fire seconds later, before they can accurately ascertain whether they saw an actual gun or the person with the gun was attempting to harm them or anyone else.
The officer opened fire immediately and struck Washington—the good Samaritan whose only participation in the fight was his attempt to stop it from happening.
"There was absolutely no hesitation at all. [The officer] went straight for his gun," Smith said, noting that at the time he was shot, Washington had his back turned to police.
The officers responsible for the shooting were Shawn McKenzie and James Dewey. Both of them opened fire and they dumped 17 rounds into Washington.
"There are a lot of people in Portland grieving right now," LeCesne said at the time. And now, that grief will be prolonged as the family is denied justice.
The family will now be seeking civil justice through a lawsuit.
Below is the original cell phone footage that was released in June.
A community is outraged after a father and U.S. Navy veteran was shot and killed by police while witnesses claim he was trying to break up a fight, but when his handgun fell out of its holster and he reached to pick it up, police did not hesitate to open fire on him. Jason E. Washington, 45, will be remembered as a beloved father of three daughters who married his high school sweetheart, served in the Navy, and was working as a U.S. postal worker. He was also the only one who attempted to break up a fight that broke out on a street corner in downtown Portland while nearby police did nothing to help.