PPB is grateful that justice was served in this case, and commend the Homicide Unit, Forensic Evidence Division, and others who put in countless hours of investigation in collaboration with the Multnomah County District Attorney’s office to reach this conclusion. We have been victim-focused in every stage of the investigation.
As stated in the original press releases, some of the initial information PPB disseminated to media was found to be incorrect, and as soon as we became aware of the inaccuracy, we corrected it. We also explained the reason that the information we had was wrong. There was a lot of information that we were unable to obtain at the initial scene, including getting witness statements and evidence. It was a complicated incident, and investigators were piecing the puzzle together without having all the pieces.
UPDATE #4: Normandale Park Murder Suspect Booked Into Jail
Ultimately, additional information came to light due to a meticulous and diligent investigation. This is a good example of why the Public Information Office has to be so careful about what information we release initially about an incident. It’s not unusual to receive information in the beginning stages of an investigation that turns out to be untrue or only partially true. Our detectives approach every investigation from an objective point of view. They take care in sorting through the facts of the case, gathering witness statements and evidence, and allowing that evidence to lead them to the truth about what took place.
We know the public and the media want details about these cases right away, especially one as shocking and impactful as this shooting which involved multiple victims. This is an example of why we ask for patience from our community. We need time to work through the investigation to get those details. If we release information too soon, and it turns out to be incorrect, then it raises questions about the integrity of the investigation. Public trust is critical to what we do. The most appropriate place to release details is in the prosecution phase, in open court, which is ultimately what happened here.