Bodycam shows suspect striking a Portland officer with a softball-sized rock
By: -----
Portland, OR - A Portland police officer is recovering after investigators say a suspect hit him in the face with a softball-sized rock during an arrest in the Overlook Neighborhood.
On Thursday, May 14 at 11:35 p.m., Portland police officers responded to a home in the 3900 block of North Overlook Terrace on a report of a burglary in progress.
The caller reported that a man she did not know had broken into her home while she and her children were inside, and that he threatened to kill them all.
Police said the woman armed herself with a stick and chased the man, who grabbed a metal garbage can lid and fled.
Officers quickly tracked the suspect into Overlook Park and tried to stop him, but police said he did not comply with commands to stop, even after being told he was under arrest.
He ran out of the park into an alleyway and back into the neighborhood, and officers called for additional resources and used "tactical apprehension strategies" while pursuing him to keep him in sight.
Officers could see he had an object in his hand that appeared to be the metal garbage can lid, police said.
At North Concord Avenue north of North Prescott Street, police said the suspect ran up a ramp leading to the pedestrian bridge spanning Going Street.
As officers approached, police said the suspect suddenly turned and squared his body toward the lead officer.
When the officer moved in, the suspect struck the officer in the head. The officer did not realize at the time that the suspect had a rock in his hand, police said.
The officer was able to take the suspect to the ground as other officers ran up to assist, and they worked together to take him into custody, a Portland Police Bureau release said.
A rock roughly the size of a softball was found nearby, police said.
Timothy L. Reed, 35, of Portland, was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of burglary in the first degree, escape in the first degree, assault in the second degree, assaulting a police officer, and criminal mischief in the third degree.
The officer was taken to the hospital in a police vehicle, treated and released. Police said he has been cleared to return to duty.