A Gresham police officer shot and killed a man in Southeast Portland during an encounter late Sunday night, but days later most circumstances surrounding the shooting remain undisclosed.
Police identified the man who was shot and killed as Israel Berry, 49, and the police officer who shot him as James Doyle, an officer with Gresham police since 2018.
About 9:35 p.m. Sunday, officers responded to the 12400 block of Southeast Kelly Street in Portland to a call of a man making threats, according to a Portland police news release. During an encounter between the man and officers, Doyle shot Berry. Police have not said how many times Doyle fired his gun. No Portland police officers fired their guns, the news release said.
In a news release Monday, Portland police said Gresham officers were in Portland to provide mutual aid as Portland officers worked the massive protests that were happening throughout the city.
No other details have been released in the ensuing three days despite requests from The Oregonian/OregonLive.
Berry was white, but the lack of information and transparency about the incident reflects the frustrations being protested for the past week regarding situations when police use of force is employed. Protesters have been calling attention to the many black people who have been killed by police in the United States — most recently George Floyd, who died in Minneapolis after a police officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes as Floyd repeatedly said he couldn’t breathe and went unconscious.
In Portland, protests have continued for six consecutive days, all but two of which have involved clashes with police at some point of the night. Demonstrators say they are demanding change and accountability from the Portland Police Bureau.
Gresham police released the name of the involved officer three days after the shooting. The Portland Police Bureau, which is investigating the shooting, did not comment nor release any further details.
Berry’s roommate, Chris Green, said he was shocked to find out what had happened. He said a police officer came to their home and told him about the shooting but would not share more details about why police shot his roommate or what led to it.
“I tried asking questions, but they didn’t give too much info," Green said in a phone call with The Oregonian/OregonLive on Monday. “I want to know why he died.”
—Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR
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