In the early morning hours of May 5, 2003, a traffic stop on a freeway overpass in North Portland set in motion a chain of events that would end the life of 21-year-old Kendra Sarie James, an African-American mother of two. The car she was a passenger in was pulled over by a Portland Police Officer for failing to stop at a stop sign. During the stop, it was discovered that the driver and another passenger had outstanding warrants, and they were taken into custody without incident.
This left James, who also had an outstanding warrant for failing to appear in court, alone in the back seat of the vehicle.
Seizing an opportunity to flee, James climbed into the driver's seat. Officer Scott McCollister, one of three officers at the scene, moved to intercept her. Accounts of what happened next differ, but a struggle ensued as McCollister attempted to physically remove James from the car. He tried to pull her out by her hair, which was a wig that came off in his hands. Another officer, Kenneth Reynolds, unsuccessfully attempted to use a Taser to subdue her. McCollister claimed he then tried to use pepper spray, but said it failed to deploy.
As the confrontation escalated, McCollister drew his firearm, held it to James' head, and ordered her to stop. He stated that he felt the car begin to move and, fearing he would be dragged and run over, he fired a single shot. The bullet struck Kendra James in the hip and traveled into her torso, causing a fatal wound. After the shot was fired, officers removed her from the car and handcuffed her. It was reported that they did not immediately check her vital signs, with one officer later stating he thought she was "faking" being unconscious.
In the aftermath of the shooting, no arrests were made in the sense of a criminal suspect being taken into custody. The focus of the investigation was on the actions of Officer Scott McCollister. A grand jury was convened but ultimately decided not to bring criminal charges against him. McCollister did face an internal investigation by the Portland Police Bureau, which led to a lengthy suspension without pay. However, this disciplinary action was later overturned by an arbitrator who ruled that the city had not conducted a proper internal affairs investigation. The arbitrator ordered that McCollister be given back pay and the suspension be removed from his record. The James family later pursued a civil rights lawsuit against Officer McCollister and the City of Portland. The incident sparked significant community outrage, protests, and calls for police reform and accountability in Portland.
