Just after 6 a.m. on July 28, 2024, police responded to reports of gunfire in Portland, Oregon’s Lloyd District. Arriving at the corner of Northeast 6th Avenue and Northeast Holladay Street, officers found the body of Jacob Forrest, a 45-year-old White/Caucasian man, on the sidewalk. He had been shot and killed, and the person responsible had fled the scene.
The medical examiner later confirmed his death was a homicide caused by gunshot wounds.
The investigation into the shooting eventually pieced together the moments before Forrest’s death using surveillance footage. The video showed Cresencio Flores, then 27, socializing with friends outside an apartment building when Forrest arrived in a car with three other people. Forrest had a realistic-looking but fake gun in his waistband. According to police, Forrest and Flores exchanged words, though the video did not capture audio of their conversation. The confrontation escalated when Forrest slapped Flores on the cheek and threw his bicycle into the street.
As Forrest turned and walked away from the argument, Flores stood up, drew a real handgun, and shot him nine times in the back. Forrest died at the scene. For nearly two months, Portland Police Homicide Unit detectives investigated the case, urging anyone with information to come forward.
On September 24, 2024, investigators announced a breakthrough. With assistance from the Special Emergency Reaction Team, they arrested Cresencio Flores. He was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon. When questioned by police, Flores claimed he had feared for his life and was unaware that Forrest's gun was a fake. He also told them he believed Forrest was trying to embarrass him in front of his friends.
In February 2026, Flores accepted a plea agreement, pleading guilty to a reduced charge of first-degree manslaughter. A prosecutor told the court that the deal was fair. Multnomah County Circuit Judge Christopher Ramras then sentenced Cresencio Flores to 10 years in prison for the killing.
