PORTLAND, OR – An officer is recovering from being pepper sprayed after a suspect broke his patrol car window and sprayed the interior of his vehicle. A suspect was arrested and charged.
On Sunday, October 4, 2020 at 9:39 a.m., an officer working the 881 district in Central Precinct was parked in a marked patrol vehicle doing paperwork in the area of South Corbett Avenue and South Lane Street. A male approached the patrol vehicle, broke out the back window (on the hatch), pepper sprayed the interior, then ran to a vehicle and drove off.
The officer was able to broadcast suspect information over the radio. He and assisting officers were able to locate and stop the vehicle about 6 blocks away. The suspect was arrested. The officer recognized the vehicle as one that had been following him earlier.
Inside the vehicle, officers found a window punch tools, pepper spray, throwing knives, a laser pointer, a slingshot, rocks, and more (PHOTOS). The items were seized as evidence.
John B. Russell, 41, of Portland, was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of Assaulting a Public Safety Officer, Aggravated Harassment, and Criminal Mischief in the First Degree.
“As police officers, we know that the vast majority of community members who approach and contact us do so with no intention to do us harm,” said Chief Chuck Lovell. “However, attacks like this one remind us all that there is the potential for people to try to take direct violent action against police officers. I applaud the officer for remaining calm and locating the involved subject and thank our investigators for furthering this investigation.”