Hunter Newton was 21 years old when two Milwaukie police officers stopped him after he drove into a Taco Bell parking lot and, according to his family’s lawsuit, fired 16 rounds into the rear of his car, striking him in the back of his head and shoulder.
According to a lawsuit brought by his family, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office deputies, who took control of the scene, stopped medical personnel from approaching Newton’s car for more than half-an-hour.
During that time, they repeatedly shouted commands at Newton to raise his hands despite officers noting that he appeared to be unconscious and was bleeding from head wounds.
The lawsuit also stated that before the shooting, the police had illuminated the vehicle and observed that Newton was unarmed and displayed no signs of impairment.
The incident occurred on Southeast Oak Street on September 30, 2024, and has left Newton permanently brain damaged and in need of lifelong care.
The lawsuit claimed that after 37 minutes, the deputies finally approached Newton’s vehicle behind ballistic shields. They handcuffed the young man before allowing paramedics to start treatment.
A search found that Newton was unarmed, and there were no weapons in the car.
Family Receives $18 Million Settlement From Milwaukie
The family filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Clackamas County and 14 Sheriff’s Office deputies. Separately, on September 29, they announced an $18 million settlement with the City of Milwaukie.
Hunter will need permanent care by medical specialists, as well as lifelong monitoring of a bullet lodged in his brain, according to a statement by his father Brian Newton.
The family’s attorneys, Kell, Alterman & Runstein, stated that a routine traffic stop ended in a hail of 16 bullets into Newton’s vehicle within a matter of minutes.
Evidence indicated that the shooting occurred after an unidentified sound, which was mistaken for a gunshot.