Date: September 27, 2025
Suspect: Bo W. Davis, 43
Bureau Members: Officer David Randall and Melissa Babasin
On Saturday, September 27, 2025, at 9:11 a.m., Portland Police officers assigned to Central Precinct were dispatched to a report of a "Threat with Weapon" call on Northeast 33rd Avenue over Interstate-84. They were told that a suspect had a metal pole and was hitting passing vehicles with it. Officers were told the suspect had walked away. They did an area check for him in the neighborhood and did not initially find him and no crime victims came forward to make a police report. About 20 minutes after officers cleared the scene, they gained information that the suspect may be in the area of Oregon Park, 700 Northeast 30th Avenue. Two officers responded and located the suspect. Almost immediately, at about 10:27 a.m., the suspect began fighting with the two officers. At 10:29 a.m., the officers alerted dispatch and other officers over the radio that they were in a fight and that the suspect was trying to get an officer's firearm out of his holster. Numerous officers responded to assist, and at 10:34 a.m., officers stated that they were in custody with the suspect.
Preliminary investigation indicated that during the struggle over the officer's gun, which lasted nearly 7 minutes, an officer put the suspect in some kind of neck hold. The suspect did not lose consciousness and did not appear to suffer any significant injuries. He was transported to the hospital by ambulance as a precaution to get a medical evaluation. The suspect was identified as Bo W. Davis, 43, of Portland. He was released from the hospital and booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of Attempted Murder, Robbery in the First Degree, Assaulting a Public Safety Officer, Menacing, and an outstanding warrant.
Both officers involved were also transported to the hospital for medical evaluation. One officer had a hand injury and the other a head injury. After they were released from the hospital and Officer Babasin was placed on administrative leave, which is standard protocol for a deadly use of force investigation.
Based on the reported level of force used by an officer in this incident, members of the Portland Police Bureau Detective Division's Homicide Detail responded to perform an investigation into the force used. Pursuant to Portland Police Bureau policy, "When a member knowingly uses physical force that impedes the normal breathing or circulation of the blood of another person by applying pressure on the throat or neck of the other person. This also includes the carotid restraint hold or lateral vascular neck restraint. A neck hold shall be considered deadly (lethal) force."
There were no reports that any officer discharged a firearm during this incident.
The Multnomah County District Attorney's Office was contacted and will continue to be consulted regarding this investigation.
As part of its ongoing commitment to transparency, on October 11, 2025, the Portland Police Bureau released the initial body-worn camera footage.
As part of the use of force review process, the Bureau conducts an internal review of the entire incident and the case will go before the Police Review Board (PRB), which is composed of community members, Bureau members and representatives from the Independent Police Review Division.
The Portland Police Bureau directive outlining the procedures followed after an in-custody death is Directive 1010.10