Alleged PBOT vehicle tire slasher arrested in armed standoff
Police release new details about 33-year-old suspect's activities in Northwest District
The same suspect who allegedly used a knife to slash the tire on a marked city of Portland vehicle on July 20 was involved in an Aug. 12 incident in the Northwest District that resulted in a more-than-hourlong police standoff and a shelter-in-place order for residents.
According to newly released details by Portland police, the suspect on July 20 had opened the Portland Bureau of Transportation vehicle door while holding the knife, before riding away on a bicycle at Northwest 18th Avenue and Thurman Street. The PBOT employee was not injured in the incident.
At 1:55 p.m. on Aug. 12, two officers were conducting follow-up investigation in the case when they spotted the suspect on Northwest 16th Avenue between Overton and Pettygrove streets. According to the official police report:
“They told the suspect he was under arrest, but he ran from them. The officers reported that they saw the suspect had a knife in one hand, described as a large blade hunting knife. Numerous officers responded to assist and contain the armed suspect. Officers saw the suspect running toward members of the public, including a mother and her child. After several blocks, the suspect ran toward a tire repair shop in the 1200 block of Northwest 19th Avenue still armed with the knife. A Portland Police Lieutenant struck the suspect with his police vehicle, causing the suspect to fall down. But he kept running away and did not appear to be injured.”
At about 3 p.m. on Aug. 12, police warned residents near Northwest 18th Avenue and Northwest Overton Street that an armed suspect ran from officers and was hiding in the area. The shelter-in-place alert was lifted by the Portland Police Bureau at 4:44 p.m. after officers arrested an armed suspect.
Following an investigation, and after he was cleared medically at the hospital, Joshua R. Kuras, 33, of Portland, was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of unlawful use of a weapon, menacing, burglary, criminal mischief, interfering with a law enforcement animal, attempted animal abuse and escape.
The Portland Police Bureau is investigating multiple police uses of force during this incident per policy. Information about force policy, investigation and review is available on the PPB website.
