In the early evening of April 24, 2019, the life of 34-year-old Robert Lewis IV, a Black male, was cut short by gunfire in Southeast Portland. The fatal shooting occurred just after 7 p.m. near the intersection of Southeast 93rd Avenue and Henry Street. When Portland Police Bureau officers from the East Precinct and medical personnel arrived at the scene, they discovered Lewis with traumatic injuries.
Despite their efforts, he was pronounced deceased at the location.
The Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office later conducted an autopsy and confirmed that Lewis's death was a homicide caused by a gunshot wound. Investigators at the scene found evidence of gunfire, but the person or persons responsible had already fled. In the immediate aftermath, police had no suspects and began the arduous process of trying to determine the circumstances that led to the shooting.
As time passed, the investigation into Robert Lewis IV's murder continued, yet no arrests were made. The case grew cold, leaving a void for his grieving family. In an effort to generate new leads, the Portland Police Bureau and Crime Stoppers of Oregon publicly appealed for assistance. They offered a cash reward for any information that would lead to an arrest in the unsolved killing. Despite these efforts and the circulation of Lewis's photographs by his family, his killer or killers have not been publicly identified, and no arrests have been announced in connection with his death. The case remains an open and painful chapter for his loved ones and the community.
