SALEM, Ore. — A grand jury has ruled that a Marion County deputy was justified in the April 25 fatal shooting of a Portland man who shot a police officer after the man barricaded himself in a van at a truck stop in Aurora.
Law enforcement officers testified that 27-year-old Micaiah Clinton shot at police more than a dozen times, injuring Woodburn Police Officer Jesse Ponce, a member of Marion County Interagency SWAT, the Statesman Journal reported.
Marion County Deputy Tyler Morrow returned fire and killed Clinton, the Marion County District Attorney’s office said in a statement.
The shooting followed an attempt to arrest Clinton, who had outstanding warrants, and an hours-long standoff with police at the Pilot Flying J truck stop south of Portland near Interstate 5.
Ponce had three surgeries at Legacy Emanuel Hospital and is expected to recover.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Jason Fitzpatrick told the grand jury that he asked deputies to respond to the Flying J after he saw Clinton in the parking lot at about 6:15 a.m. on April 25.
Fitzpatrick said he knew Clinton had a federal warrant for a bank robbery probation violation and state warrants for being a felon in possession of a firearm and eluding police.
After negotiations and gas munitions had no effect, at around 10:50 a.m., Clinton exited the van wearing a gas mask, body armor and a badge proclaiming to be a “Sovereign Citizen,” deputies testified. He was armed with an assault rifle.
Without warning, officials said Clinton shot Ponce.Clinton began shooting at Marion County Deputy Tyler Morrow, a SWAT Team member, as he came to Ponce’s defense, officials testified.
Morrow “opened fire,” and struck Clinton three times, killing him.
