Date: August 16, 2022
Suspect: Robert Connelly
Bureau Members: Sergeant Charles Elam, Officer Amy Li and Officer Christopher Baten
On August 16, 2022, just after 8:00 pm, Portland's Focused Intervention Team (FIT) was conducting a mission to arrest a wanted man on several federal and state warrants associated to gun crimes, and charges of sexual assault. The individual is identified as 49-year-old Robert Connelly.
When members of FIT attempted to arrest Connelly in the 8200 Block of Southeast Lambert Street, he pointed a gun at them. In response, officers fired their weapons at Connelly. After the shooting, Connelly ran into a nearby business and barricaded himself inside. Members of the Special Emergency Reaction Team (SERT) and Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) responded to the scene. Ultimately, Connelly was convinced to surrender peacefully. Connelly was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of Burglary in the First Degree, Menacing with a Firearm (3 counts), Unlawful Use of a Weapon (3 counts), Escape in the Second Degree and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Nobody was injured during this incident.
The involved members were identified as Sergeant Charles Elam, a 13-year veteran of the Portland Police Bureau, Officer Amy Li, a 5-year veteran of PPB, and Officer Christopher Baten, a 2-year veteran of PPB (who resigned September 30, 2022).
The Multnomah County District Attorney's Office reviewed the case and issued a memorandum stating the officers' actions were not criminal.
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's directive outlining the procedures followed after an officer-involved shooting may be found in Directive 1010.10