On the afternoon of Thursday, officers from the Portland Police Central Precinct were called to the Hawthorne Bridge after reports surfaced of a man climbing the bridge's tower. When they arrived, the police witnessed the individual on a catwalk high above the city and, concerned for his well-being, shut down the bridge, as reported by Portland Police Bureau. Specially trained crisis communication officers from the Enhanced Crisis Intervention Team (ECIT), supported by Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R), engaged with the man who, after being offered help and warned of potential charges, refused to descend.
The stand-off stretched into the evening, the man remaining aloft, as officers employed a de-escalation tactic that involved giving him time and space by backing off. After the man spent the night in the tower, traffic remained barred from the bridge, with Multnomah County providing detour signs, recognizing the safety concerns for both the man and the response team.
Come morning, the individual identified as Rashawn L. Anderson, 44, eventually climbed down at 9 a.m. on yesterday and was taken into custody. Charges of Criminal Trespass in the First Degree, Interfering with Public Transportation, and Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree were booked against him (case 25-45210). Post-incident, the bridge was inspected and cleared for reopening by Multnomah County by 9:30 a.m., signifying normal traffic flow restoration for Portland commuters.
Portland Police Bureau highlights its commitment to crisis intervention, informing that every officer is trained with basic Crisis Intervention Training and receives annual refreshers. The ECIT consists of volunteer officers receiving advanced training to assess and de-escalate behavioral crises effectively and are the primary responders for pertinent 9-1-1 calls. "As primary responders to crisis calls, all Portland Police Bureau officers receive basic Crisis Intervention Training as well as annual CIT refresher training," according to the official statement from the Portland Police.
