The Portland Police Bureau has released the names of the officers involved in the shots fired incident that occurred in the Woodlawn Neighborhood on September 26. The incident, which has become the subject of an ongoing investigation, involved Officer Brett Emmons, an 8-year veteran; Officer Joshua Faris, a 23-year veteran; and Officer Matthew Wells, a 21-year veteran—all assigned to the Special Emergency Reaction Team (SERT).
While remaining on administrative leave pending the completion of the investigation, the SERT members were carrying out duties to apprehend a suspect identified as Jesse James West. West, suspected of involvement in a series of robberies where a gun was used, was said to be armed with an AR-style rifle during the incident at hand. Assisting the Major Crimes Unit, a robbery reported earlier on the day of the incident found the SERT was brought in due to the heightened threat associated with West's alleged access to multiple firearms.
Portland Police have made public the footage from the body-worn cameras of several officers that recorded the shots fired situation. The department is limited in the additional information they can release at this moment, citing the ongoing nature of the probe into the events of that September day. The footage provides visual insight into the law enforcement actions taken during the sequence of events leading to the firing of shots.
The officers, seasoned members of the PPB's most specialized unit, the SERT, are specially trained to handle high-risk operations, such as the apprehension of armed and dangerous individuals. It was under these circumstances that Officer Emmons, Officer Faris, and Officer Wells found themselves confronting the suspect now at the center of this investigation. The video documents their response to the immediate threats posed in the Woodlawn Neighborhood encounter with West.
For those seeking to view the newly released video evidence, it can be found on the Portland Police Bureau's official website, with additional details expected to be disclosed upon the furtherance of the investigation. To see the footage, visit the PPB's official release.
