Law enforcement officials nabbed a man wanted for an April Fools' Day murder in the streets of Hazelwood, Vancouver Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force announced. Damariea R. Harris, 31, of Portland, was clapped in irons last Friday and is staring down the barrel of several serious charges including a murder rap.
According to a press release from the Portland Police Bureau, Harris was booked into the Clark County Jail on charges of second-degree murder with a firearm, attempted second-degree murder with a firearm, first-degree assault with a firearm, unlawful use of a weapon, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. To face justice in Multnomah County, the paperwork for his extradition is currently being shuffled.
The Hazelwood neighborhood killing left the community on edge, causing a palpable tension that lingered long after the crime tape was pulled down. Harris, connected to the violence that stole away life on a day known for pranks, now finds the noose of the law tightening around his own neck.
The arrest brought together the coordinated efforts of local and federal law enforcement, punctuating a manhunt that stretched over nearly two weeks.
Details surrounding the incident remain scarce as investigators continue to dig into the case. Harris, scheduled to appear before a judge, will soon have to answer to the allegations that have thrust him into the glare of the public courtroom. The community awaits justice, and the outcome of this tragic saga remains to be seen.
