On January 29, 2010, Aaron Campbell, a 25-year-old Black man, was fatally shot by a Portland Police Officer in Northeast Portland. The incident began when police responded to a 9-1-1 call regarding a suicidal man armed with a gun. Campbell was in an apartment at the Sandy Terrace Apartments, where he was despondent over the death of his younger brother earlier that day.
His girlfriend, who was outside the apartment, informed the officers that Campbell was inside with three young children and had been threatening suicide. She also mentioned that she had seen Campbell with a gun, which he had last put in the pocket of his coat.
During the standoff, officers attempted to communicate with Campbell via text messages and eventually through a crisis negotiator. At 6:07 p.m., Campbell emerged from the apartment with his hands behind his head, a result of the crisis negotiator's efforts, although this information was not communicated to all officers on the scene. As Campbell came out, he began moving quickly backwards, keeping his hands behind his neck before lowering them. He yelled at the officers that they would have to shoot him. Officer Ryan Lewton, a 9-year veteran, deployed six less lethal beanbag rounds at Campbell, who then began to run back towards the apartment. This sequence of events led to Officer Ron Frashour, an 8-year veteran, firing one AR-15 round, striking Campbell in the back. Frashour testified that he believed Campbell was reaching for a weapon, although it was later determined that Campbell did not have the gun on his person at the time of the shooting.
The shooting resulted in significant controversy and calls for police accountability. An investigation and subsequent grand jury review led to no indictment of Officer Frashour in February 2010. However, the Portland Police Bureau's Chief Michael Reese later stated that the use of force and less lethal force were out of the Bureau's policy. As a result, Officer Frashour was terminated, while Officers Ryan Lewton and Sergeants Liani Reyna and John Birkinbine received 80-hour suspensions for their roles in the incident.
Despite the initial disciplinary actions, an arbitrator later ruled that Officer Frashour should be reinstated. The City of Portland appealed this decision to the state Employment Relations Board, which upheld the arbitrator's ruling. Frashour was reinstated but remained on paid leave. The City of Portland further appealed this decision to the State Appeals Court. In 2014, another arbitrator ruled that the discipline of the two sergeants and Officer Lewton was justified. However, Frashour returned to work in 2016 after the Oregon Court of Appeals upheld the arbitrator's decision that Frashour acted in accordance with his training.
There were no suspects or arrests related to Aaron Campbell's death, as the incident involved police officers responding to a call. The focus instead was on the actions of the police officers involved, particularly Officer Ron Frashour, and the subsequent disciplinary and legal proceedings that followed. The case highlighted issues of police accountability, especially in interactions with individuals experiencing mental crises or distress, and it contributed to ongoing discussions and efforts towards police reform in Portland.
