Footage Released of Portland Man Who Died After Police Pinned Him Face Down in Handcuffs

PORTLAND, Ore. — 52-year-old Damon Lamarr Johnson, who died in Portland police custody last month, can be seen lying face down in handcuffs after losing consciousness on police bodycam footage released on Friday.

Bodycam Footage Of Man Who Died In Portland Police Custody Released

Responding to reports that Johnson was acting erratically, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) was called to Johnson’s North Portland apartment on June 27. The complex in the 8500 block of North Argyle Way is for people transitioning out of homelessness.

PPB said Johnson had been spreading shaving cream on the walls, flooding his apartment, grunting at people, and hanging knives out of a window.

Officers arrived at 10:23 p.m. and moved to detain Johnson on a mental health police hold at 10:27, but Johnson screamed and squirmed as he got into a struggle with the three officers.

They maneuvered him to the ground, telling him to stop resisting, and by about 10:30 p.m., officers had Johnson in handcuffs.

He was seen in the footage lying face down and screaming after the officers pushed him to the ground, and by 10:31 p.m., he was on his stomach with his hands behind his back. Four minutes later, Johnson had stopped responding.

As the officers were waiting for paramedics, they realized something was wrong with Johnson at about 10:35 p.m. on the footage.

American Medical Response paramedics arrived at about 10:37 p.m. and administered CPR for over 15 minutes. Shortly after 11 p.m., Johnson was wheeled out of his apartment and taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.