In the early morning hours of January 4, 2020, the life of 28-year-old DeAndre Dewitt Rouse, a Black/African American male, was tragically cut short in Portland, Oregon. Rouse was fatally shot just after 5 a.m. near Southeast 151st Avenue and Stark Street. When police arrived at the scene, they found Rouse deceased.
The events leading to the swift arrest of two suspects began when officers, who were in the area on an unrelated matter, heard the sound of gunshots.
They witnessed a vehicle speeding away from the scene and gave chase. Although they initially lost sight of the car, it was soon discovered abandoned. A trail of blood leading from the vehicle and blood inside and around the driver's seat pointed investigators in the direction of the suspects.
Community members played a crucial role in the apprehension of the suspects, alerting officers to two individuals hiding nearby, one of whom was bleeding. Police located and took into custody 20-year-old Timothy E. Burks, who had sustained a gunshot wound to his arm. The second suspect, 19-year-old Christopher J. Watkins, was arrested a short time later near Northeast 102nd Avenue and Sacramento Street. It was reported that his girlfriend had arranged a rideshare for him from the area.
Both Christopher J. Watkins and Timothy E. Burks were subsequently charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of DeAndre Rouse. The arrests brought a swift, though not complete, sense of resolution to the case, as the individuals believed to be responsible were quickly brought into custody.
