Deante Strickland was a beloved figure in his hometown of Portland, Oregon, known for his character, determination, and an infectious smile that could light up a room. A 22-year-old Black / African American man, Deante was a talented two-sport athlete at Portland State University. After playing on the men's basketball team for two years, the social science major had joined the university's football program in the spring of 2019, preparing to use his final year of eligibility that fall.
He was remembered by his coaches and teammates as joyful, driven, and passionate, a young man who loved his family and had great pride in being from Portland.
On the afternoon of August 2, 2019, that promising life was cut short. Just after 2 p.m., Deante was at a family home in the 6200 block of Northeast 42nd Avenue when a shooting broke out. He was shot in the chest, and two other family members were wounded in the attack: his grandmother, Shirley Strickland, and his aunt, also named Shirley Strickland. Both women were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and were expected to survive.
After being shot, Deante stumbled out of the house and into the street, desperately seeking help from a group of construction workers nearby. The workers rushed to his side, applying pressure to his wound and performing CPR while they waited for an ambulance. According to his uncle, Deante’s last words were, "My sister shot me... I don't want to die." Despite the efforts to save him, his injury was too severe, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The shooter was immediately identified as Deante’s older sister, 30-year-old Tamena Jaceeta Strickland. She fled after the shooting but surrendered to Portland police later that same evening, accompanied by her attorney. She was arrested and booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center, and investigators recovered a firearm from a vehicle associated with her. She was initially charged with murder and two counts of attempted murder. The violence left her family stunned and searching for answers.
In late 2025, the case came to a resolution. Following a change of plea and a stipulated-facts trial, a judge found Tamena Strickland guilty except for insanity on a charge of second-degree murder for killing her brother. On October 24, she was also found guilty on two counts of second-degree attempted murder for shooting her grandmother and aunt.
On November 12, 2025, Judge Nan Waller sentenced Tamena Strickland to 22 years in prison. The sentence also committed her to the lifetime control of the Psychiatric Security Review Board (PSRB). Under the terms of the judgment, if the board determines she is mentally stable and no longer requires hospitalization during her sentence, she will serve the remaining time in the custody of the Department of Corrections. The case was officially closed as of November 2025.
