In the early morning hours of May 6, 2022, a tragedy unfolded in the South Waterfront area of Portland, Oregon, forever altering the lives of one family. Sircharles Marc Anthony Jones, a 22-year-old Black man, was on duty as a security guard when his life was cut short. At approximately 3:20 a.m., officers from the Portland Police Bureau responded to reports of a shooting in the 2100 block of South River Parkway. Upon their arrival, they made a grim discovery.
Jones was found deceased inside a vehicle, the victim of a fatal gunshot wound. The medical examiner would later rule his death a homicide.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, law enforcement conducted a thorough search of the area, but no suspects were immediately identified or apprehended. The investigation into Jones's death remained ongoing, leaving his family and the community awaiting answers. His aunt, Carmen Butcher, speaking on behalf of the family, expressed their profound suffering and requested privacy. She lamented the way Black men are often portrayed in the media and emphasized that her nephew was not just another statistic.
For nearly two years, the case remained unsolved, a painful open wound for those who knew and loved Sircharles. Then, in a significant breakthrough, the Portland Police Bureau announced an arrest on February 20, 2024. U.S. Marshals took 31-year-old Cedrick Damon Washington Jr. into custody in connection with the 2022 homicide. Washington was subsequently charged with second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon. He has since pleaded not guilty to the charges. While the arrest marks a crucial step in the legal process, the motive behind the shooting has not been publicly disclosed.
