Family members of 21-year-old Hunter Newton are claiming that after he was shot by Milwaukie Police Department officers, he did not receive medical care for nearly "a half hour or more." Currently, Newton is in critical condition, with an inoperable bullet in his brain, as per a statement released by his family on Friday.
The shooting incident took place almost three weeks ago, on September 30th, when Milwaukie officers stopped Newton on suspicion of driving with a suspended license. Following the encounter, which occurred late at night in a Taco Bell parking lot, the Clackamas County officials stated that Newton refused orders to exit his vehicle and resisted removal, according to a statement obtained by KOIN.
Facing potential legal action, the attorneys representing Newton's family from the Portland firm Kell, Alterman & Runstein, have expressed deep concern over the possibility of the officers having violated constitutional rights. They believe the information at hand does not justify the level of force used, one that left Newton with life-threatening injuries. "It is our deep concern that the officers violated Hunter’s constitutional rights," wrote the attorneys in a statement found by OPB.
The Newton family says that after the shooting Hunter Newton was left without immediate medical attention despite the critical injuries he sustained. He was struck in the shoulder and the back of his head. The bullets were fired through the rear window while he was sitting in the driver's seat, "Hunter continues to fight for his life. Hunter was struck in his shoulder and the back of his head while seated in his vehicle when officers shot Hunter through the rear window of his vehicle," read their statement to KOIN. Physicians have informed the family that the bullet lodged in his brain cannot be surgically removed.
As of now, the details of why officers used their duty pistols during the attempted removal of Newton from his car, particularly given the non-violent nature of the suspended license charge, remain under scrutiny. The incident, having taken dire turns for both Hunter Newton's well-being and for the law enforcement practices in question, is leading to calls for a thorough and transparent investigation.
