Police Chief: Officer in Aaron Campbell Shooting is Terminated

Portland Police Chief Mike Reese just announced that Officer Ronald Frashour has been fired for the fatal shooting of 25-year-old Aaron Campbell last January.

As first reported in WW, the police bureau's Use of Force Review Board recommended firing Frashour last August for shooting Campbell with an assault rifle while Campbell was unarmed and fleeing police.

Reese said he and Mayor Sam Adams arrived at the decision together. Reese also announced discipline for other cops involved in the Campbell shooting:

—Officer Ryan Lewton will receive an 80-hour unpaid suspension.

—Sgt. Liani Reyna will receive an 80-hour unpaid suspension.

—Sgt. John Birkinbine will receive an 80-hour unpaid suspension.

Read Reese's announcement and find supporting documents here.

The police union is already characterizing the discipline as an attempt to "scapegoat" Frashour and the other officers involved in order to minimize political fallout and civil liability over the shooting.

In language reminiscent of cops' march on City Hall last year, the union says in part:

Today we can say that the rank and file of the Portland Police Bureau have lost faith in their leaders. Disciplinary decisions cannot and should not be made for reasons of political expediency. No one—not the community, not the City, not the Police Bureau, and not even Mayor Adams and Chief Reese—will ultimately benefit from the imposition of baseless disciplinary action.

Read the union's whole take here.

UPDATE: The mayor said in his own statement the decisions were difficult but "the investigation found no malicious intent on behalf of any of the officers involved with this event. But, based on the investigation, these officers acted outside of their training and outside of Police Bureau policy. A loss of life resulted. Thus, the discipline we have handed down is warranted."

UPDATE at 4:40 pm: The Campbell family released the following statement through attorney Tom Steenson, who's representing them in a civil lawsuit against the city:

"The family sincerely appreciates the interest the public and press have shown in the circumstances surrounding Aaron's death. Justice will take its course. Beyond that, we don't wish to make any public comment at this time."