PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The cousin of a man shot and killed by a Beaverton police officer is speaking out about the incident.
The Washington County Sheriff's Office said the shooting happened Monday night outside Nordstrom Rack, across the freeway from Washington Square Mall.
Two officers with the Beaverton Police Department responded to the scene on a report of shoplifting. They found the alleged suspect, 39-year-old Portland resident Jacob Daniel Bundy. The officers tried to detain him but Bundy pulled out a handgun, authorities said.
"After a struggle in which Bundy fired his gun, Bundy was shot by police” and died, the sheriff's office said.
Mark Chan, Bundy's cousin, told KOIN 6 News he's devastated it ended this way. He said Bundy struggled with addiction and sought help for alcohol and drug counseling after getting out of prison in 2022.
"Addiction and mental health is a real thing," Chan said.
Bundy loved his family and the outdoors before getting caught up in addiction, theft and other crimes, Chan said.
"He was in the track for well over a year doing good for himself," he said. "But at the end of the day, his demons, his addiction got the best of him."
According to investigators, de-escalation methods weren't an option during the confrontation because of how quickly it happened.
"The situation was very rapidly evolving," said Washington County Major Crimes Team Detective Shannon Wilde.
Only one of the officers who responded had fired their gun and shot Bundy. Both responding officers suffered minor injuries, officials said.
Both officers are now on leave while the Washington County District Attorney takes on the case. After that, they'll need to take a health screening to make sure they can handle the job.
"I know that's always part of the conversation when something like this happens, is making sure that before they come to work, they're mentally well," Wilde said.
Investigators said the gun Bundy had and the motorcycle he was using were both stolen.
Chan said he is confident all the details will come out by investigators in due time.
"We trust that the police will — they'll do the best of their ability to do an investigation and we'll see where it goes," Chan said.
The Washington County Major Crimes Team is handling the investigation into the officer-involved death, rather than the Beaverton Police Department themselves since they have a connection to the case. The investigative team includes various detectives, members of the Washington County District Attorney's Office and forensic experts.
In a statement, Beaverton Mayor Lacey Beaty vowed that the investigation would be transparent and fair. Her entire statement is below:
"As Mayor of Beaverton, I want to address the tragic event that occurred last night in our community. Beaverton Police Department officers responded to a report of shoplifting at the Nordstrom Rack on SW Cascade Blvd. During their encounter with the suspect, the individual pulled out and fired a handgun, leading to a confrontation in which an officer used deadly force. Sadly, this resulted in the loss of the suspect's life.
"First and foremost, my thoughts are with everyone affected by this incident. Thankfully, none of the officers involved were physically injured, but we must acknowledge the emotional and psychological toll such an event can have on those who serve our community. I want to express my deepest gratitude to our officers for their courage and commitment to public safety, and we will ensure they have the support they need during this difficult time.
"This is a challenging moment for our entire community, and we must come together with compassion and patience as the investigation proceeds.
"The Washington County Major Crimes Team is conducting a thorough investigation to determine the facts. In the meantime, the officers involved will be on critical incident leave, as is standard procedure in situations like this.
"The City of Beaverton is committed to ensuring a transparent and impartial process as we work to understand what happened. We will provide updates as more information becomes available.
"I ask for your understanding and support as we navigate this challenging situation together."
