Portland Police officers arrested a suspected attempted murder and carjacking suspect following a traffic stop.
On Thursday, February 22, 2024 at 11:19p.m., officers assigned to Portland Police Bureau’s East Precinct responded to Southeast Harold Street and Southeast 128th Avenue a report of an armed robbery of a vehicle where shots were fired.
Officers arrived on scene quickly and saw the vehicle involved driving away. The officers conducted a traffic stop on the Ford Econoline van where they detained the driver, Robert M. Morgan, 30. Major Crimes Detectives responded to the scene to assist in the investigation. It was determined that Morgan fired shots into the occupied van. Then Morgan handed his gun to an associate and assaulted the victim before stealing the van. Two other individuals were involved and drove away in a purple Suzuki SUV.
The victim, an adult male, sustained minor injuries related to the assault prior to his vehicle being stolen. The victim was transported to a local hospital by ambulance for treatment.
Officers later located the SUV in the parking lot of a convenience store at Southeast 122nd Avenue and Southeast Powell Boulevard. Officers coordinated with Major Crimes Detectives and conducted a traffic stop on the Suzuki SUV suspected to be involved. Two subjects were detained from inside of the SUV, Zachary A. Rose, 25, of Portland and Jeremy A. Bute, 34, of Portland. Both were booked under unrelated arrest warrants. A firearm was located inside of the Suzuki that is suspected to be the same used in the shooting (photo).
Morgan was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, Robbery in the First Degree (carjacking), Theft in the First Degree, Assault in the Third Degree, Robbery in the Second Degree (Carjacking), and Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle.
