Friends of Portland man shot by police say he was 'not the type to have guns'

Posted by: Cornelius Swart on May 14, 2010

Let's hope this won't turn out to be "the nightmare scenario"...
FROM THE OREGONIAN

By Lynne Terry, The Oregonian
May 14, 2010, 6:59PM
Portland police officers gather at the scene of Wednesday night's shooting in the Lloyd District. A police officer was wounded and the young man who shot him was killed.

Friends of Keaton Dupree Otis expressed shock and dismay on Friday that the quiet, mild-mannered man they remembered was the same 25-year-old who was killed in a shootout with Portland police.

"He was a wonderful man," said Chalise Lewis, 24, a childhood friend. "He's not the type of person to have guns or harm anybody."


Two members of the Hotspot Enforcement Action Team, which focuses on preventing gang violence, tried to pull Otis over near Northeast Grand Avenue and Holladay Street for traffic infractions. Instead of stopping, Otis kept driving, police say. They trailed him, with their siren and lights on while blasting the air horn, in a pursuit that ended at Northeast Sixth Avenue near Halsey Street.

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Comments

I have never been shot by the Police

by Sentinel Reader/User | Sat, 05/29/2010 - 1:31pm

Never once have I been shot by a police officer. It's simple do what they tell you to do, and dont shoot at them.

from Kendra James to Otis they were all wrong and needed to die -

'was not the type to have guns'

by Sentinel Reader/User | Sat, 05/15/2010 - 9:56am

Obviously he was the type to have guns. He was also the type to shoot a police officer.

Somehow though, none of it was his fault. Oh wait, I know, the trigger pulled the finger, right?
Along with that he was obviously disadvaaaaantaged.

So why would the police be at fault when they are being shot at again?
Oh yeah right, this is Portland. Cars baaaad, bicycles gooood. people baaaaad, trees gooood,
cops baaaad, criminals never at fault.

A little off-mark

by Sentinel Reader/User | Sat, 05/15/2010 - 4:34pm

I don't think the article paints Otis as an innocent, or finds fault with the police. I find it unfortunate that the Oregonian chose to report on hearsay from friends instead of how and why the parents had "limited options and restrictive laws preventing families from intervening earlier." Are they lobbying for less rights for the mentally ill? Broader caregiver rights? That's a story I'd like to see reported. Instead we're treated to more of a human interest piece.

I didn't see any of the bullshit rhetoric you mentioned though. There is no anti-cop, anti-car, pro-bike, pro-tree, or pro-criminal statements. Only a brief story about a kid who seemed pleasant to friends and met a violent end.