The Portland Police Bureau released body-worn camera footage on Thursday, providing a stark look at the October 15 incident in downtown Portland that left one man dead and two others hospitalized. The video captures the arrival of Officer Daniel Hall at the scene near Southwest Alder Street and Broadway, where he encountered 36-year-old Eric J. Hurtado in the midst of a violent assault.
As KATU reported, police were dispatched to the vicinity of Southwest Broadway and Washington Street shortly after 4:30 p.m. following reports of a man attacking bystanders with a weapon. The footage shows Officer Hall, who has been with the bureau for more than seven years, exiting his patrol vehicle to find Hurtado actively stabbing an individual outside the Kimpton Hotel Vintage at 422 S.W. Broadway. The confrontation escalated immediately, resulting in the officer firing two shots from his handgun.
The Sequence of the Incident
The visual record provided by the police bureau details a chaotic scene that continued even after the initial use of force. After being struck by a shot, Hurtado fell to the ground while clutching his shoulder, yet the video shows him reaching for the box cutter again to continue the attack. Officer Hall can be heard on the recording repeatedly commanding the suspect to drop the weapon. The officer also directed nearby bystanders and the stabbing victim to clear the area as other responding units arrived to provide medical aid.
Witness accounts from the scene describe a pattern of escalating aggression leading up to the police arrival. Samuel Meche, a valet at the nearby Dossier Hotel, told reporters that the suspect had been screaming at a hotel receptionist before taking his behavior to the sidewalk. According to Meche, bystanders attempted to immobilize the man before he brandished the box cutter. Meche described the suspect moving down the street and entering a café, where he stabbed a worker before the encounter with police concluded.
District Attorney Deems Officer Hall's Deadly Force Justified
Following standard protocol for officer-involved shootings, Officer Hall was placed on administrative leave. On Thursday, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office issued a statement confirming that the use of deadly force in this instance was deemed justified. The office noted that they consider the role of mental health in such encounters, stating, “The District Attorney’s Office recognizes that an individual’s mental health condition may affect behavior, perception, and decision-making.”
The two victims stabbed by Hurtado were transported to a local hospital for treatment. The Portland Police Bureau confirmed that they recovered the box cutter used in the attacks, noting that the blade was broken.
