In the warm evening of August 6, 2017, a social gathering at Pat Pfeifer Park in Gresham, a city on the eastern edge of Portland, Oregon, turned into a scene of tragedy. Adrian Gilberto Berg, a 32-year-old Black / African American man, was enjoying a picnic with others when an argument broke out. The dispute was with another man, and as tensions escalated, Berg asked him to leave the area, mindful of the children present.
The request, however, did not de-escalate the situation.
The other individual, later identified as 28-year-old Ajon Webster, went to a nearby car and retrieved a. 45 caliber handgun. He returned and shot Berg multiple times at close range. The incident occurred around 8 p.m. near the southeastern edge of the park. Emergency services were called, and Berg was transported to a local hospital, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
In the immediate aftermath, police began searching for the suspect, who was described as a Black male in his 20s or 30s and who had fled the scene after the shooting. The investigation led to the eventual arrest of Ajon Webster. Just over a year later, in October 2018, Webster appeared in Multnomah County Court. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Before the court, Webster expressed remorse to Berg's family, stating he was ready to face the consequences of his actions. The judge sentenced him to 20 years in prison for the killing of Adrian Berg.
