On the evening of September 7, 2017, in Portland, Oregon, a sequence of events unfolded that tragically ended the life of 40-year-old Desmond Garrett, a Black / African American male. Just after 10:20 p.m., the sound of gunfire echoed in the Old Town neighborhood, followed by the screeching of tires and the impact of a crash. Emergency dispatchers received calls reporting both a shooting and a car accident at the intersection of Northwest 5th Avenue and Northwest Everett Street.
When
police and emergency responders arrived at the scene, they found a white Mercury sedan that had crashed into a power box and a parked pickup truck. Inside the sedan was Desmond Garrett, who was suffering from traumatic injuries. Witnesses at the scene had attempted to save his life by performing CPR, but their efforts were in vain, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the pickup truck sustained minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital.
The investigation that followed painted a clearer picture of the final moments of Garrett's life. The Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office determined that the cause of death was a gunshot wound, officially ruling his death a homicide. Investigators believe Garrett, who was also known by the nickname "Munchie," was shot first, which then led to the fatal crash. Evidence of the shooting, including several bullet holes in a nearby building, was discovered near Northwest 6th Avenue and Everett Street, about a block away from the crash site.
Despite the years that have passed since his death, no arrests have been made in the case, and police have not publicly identified any suspects. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have continued to appeal to the public for any information that could lead to a breakthrough. Crime Stoppers of Oregon has offered a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest in the unsolved homicide of Desmond Garrett. His death left a void in the lives of his family and friends, who remember him as a loving and kind individual.
