Man accused of robbing downtown Portland Nordstrom, punching guard and officer

By KPTV Staff

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    PORTLAND, Oregon (KPTV) — The Portland Police Bureau said its officers arrested a man they say who robbed the city’s downtown Nordstrom store and led officers on a chase Saturday evening.

PPB said officers responded to reports of a suspect stealing items, assaulting people, and breaking things at the Nordstrom on Southwest Broadway. Updates came in that shots were fired and some callers were reporting an active shooter. Officers arrived and learned the suspect had left. They also confirmed that no shots were fired. The suspect caused such a commotion knocking things over inside the store that customers thought there were gunshots. Police said Lee tipped over at least two large metal and glass displays, which caused loud noises. Customers and employees began fleeing the store. One employee fell and suffered minor injuries.

An officer later located the suspect at Southwest Ninth Avenue and Southwest Washington Street, but the man began to run. The officer followed him until more units could arrive. Officers again approached him at Northwest Broadway and Northwest Glisan Street.

Police said the man punched an officer and started to run away again. The officer deployed his taser, which was effective and allowed officers to arrest him. The man has been identified as 36-year-old Tyrone Lee. After he was arrested, Lee told officers he swallowed heroin and was suicidal, so officers requested an ambulance and he was taken to a hospital.

Officers learned that Lee had been stopped for shoplifting at the Nordstrom and punched a store security guard in the face when she tried to get the stolen items back. The security guard retrieved the items and retreated back into the store, but Lee allegedly followed her. He is accused of screaming threats to shoot the security guard, then began destroying property.

FOX 12 spoke with a woman who was on her way to meet up with some friends Saturday evening when found herself in the middle of chaos just outside Nordstrom. Cordellia Rose said she heard screaming and didn’t think much of it at first, but things escalated from there when she saw a security guard running and taking cover. “I saw a man freaking out and I saw him throwing things… being violent. That’s when I realized, OK, this is serious and I need to get out of here.”

Lee was issued a criminal citation in lieu of custody on multiple charges. He was cited for several charges including robbery and assaulting a public safety officer.

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