A Portland teen who accidentally killed a friend during a late-night gun sale has admitted to first-degree manslaughter and will stay in the custody of the Oregon Youth Authority until his 25th birthday. The shooting left 21-year-old Skyler Stuckey dead and another companion seriously wounded, with court filings describing a chaotic exchange along a riverfront stretch of Northeast Portland that ended in gunfire from multiple people.
How the sale turned deadly
On Jan. 15, Multnomah County Circuit Judge Amy Holmes Hehn accepted a plea in which 19-year-old Jimmi Lee Lawing admitted to first-degree manslaughter. As reported by The Oregonian/OregonLive, the confrontation began as a planned $2,000 gun sale and spiraled after the buyer approached and allegedly opened fire, prompting Lawing to shoot back. Prosecutors initially brought the case in adult court, but it was later moved to juvenile court because Lawing was 17 at the time of the shooting.
Details from records and the scene
Court documents reviewed by The Oregonian/OregonLive state that Lawing fired from the front passenger seat of a vehicle, and his round struck Stuckey in the side of the head. Another friend, Taylor Nelson, was also shot in the head and survived. In a written ruling, Judge Hehn said Lawing "engaged in extremely risky behaviors" that led to "catastrophic harm." The filings add that the buyer at the center of the confrontation has not been publicly identified and took off from the scene.
Where it happened
The shooting unfolded on a quiet stretch of Northeast Faloma Road near the Columbia River in Northeast Portland, in the 1100 block where police responded that night. Early accounts identified Stuckey as one of the victims and described a multi-victim shooting, according to KPTV. Neighbors watched as emergency crews arrived and investigators documented the scene.
Sentence and legal implications
Under the plea agreement, Lawing will remain in Oregon Youth Authority custody until his 25th birthday instead of serving a sentence in an adult prison. According to court filings and the probable-cause affidavit, Lawing fled after the shooting, ran for several blocks, jumped into the Columbia River, and later reached out to a family member. He was not arrested until after he had turned 18. Prosecutors wrote that "Stuckey had nothing to do with the sale" and that the gun transaction itself set off the deadly chain of events.
Why it matters
The case highlights how quickly informal gun deals among teenagers can become fatal and shows how the juvenile justice system can still handle serious crimes committed by minors. With Lawing held in OYA custody until age 25, the outcome reflects Oregon's choice to keep certain youth cases in the juvenile system while still imposing significant consequences. Family and friends of Stuckey continue to grieve as investigators and prosecutors consider whether anyone else present that night will face charges.
