Multiagency Effort Ends with Arrests and Gun Seizures

On Friday, July 11, 2025 at 5:47 p.m., two Portland Police officers assigned to the Focused Intervention Team (FIT) on patrol spotted a stolen 2024 Land Rover Defender driving east on Northeast Glisan Street from Northeast 126^th Avenue.

Anticipating that the driver may attempt to elude, they coordinated additional resources responding to assist. Officers conducted a traffic stop at Northeast Hoyt Street and Northeast 162^nd Avenue. The FIT Officers recognized the driver as Quahar A. Bell, 20, who had outstanding warrants for his arrest for Escape and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.

Bell was not cooperative with police requests and unlawfully drove away from the stop into the neighborhood. Officers, having anticipated this, effectively deflated the vehicle's tires with spike strips. Bell and two passengers abandoned the Land Rover in the 16300 block of Northeast Wasco Street in Gresham.

A perimeter was established with FIT, East Precinct, and Gresham Police units. Gresham UAS (drone) and PPB K9 responded to assist with the track. Three people were contacted during the track and taken into custody, one was later released without charges. Another unrelated subject with warrants was taken into custody by Gresham officers.

One firearm was discovered inside the car and another firearm was located during the track.

Bell was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center charges of Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Attempting to Elude Police by vehicle (felony), Attempting to Elude Police on foot (misdemeanor), Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Reckless Driving, Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, and his warrants.

A juvenile male, 17, of Portland, booked into the Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention Center on charges of Unlawful Possession of Firearms (concealed), and Unlawful Possession of a Loaded Firearm in Public (city code).

PPB thanks our partners at the Gresham Police Department for the assistance with these arrests.

The Bureau's Focused Intervention Team (FIT) and Enhanced Community Safety Team (ECST) work in partnership with the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR) on a focused deterrence strategy to reduce gun violence called Portland Ceasefire. This citywide strategy centers on collaboration among Portland's Community Safety Division and Office of Violence Prevention, City leaders, the Portland Police Bureau, and community groups.More information about Portland Ceasefire is available here. The Focused Intervention Team (FIT) is composed of a Lieutenant, two Sergeants and 12 Officers who were selected to be a part of this specialty unit tasked with helping address gun violence in the city. In between emergency calls, FIT builds relationships with community members and proactively deters violence consistent with their mandate. FIT is overseen by a group of community volunteers known as the Focused Intervention Team Community Oversight Group, or FITCOG. The FITCOG commenced in June 2021 in response to the gun violence crisis in Portland to work with the Focused Intervention Team (FIT) and assist with recommendations to reduce gun violence through prevention, intervention, and response. For more information, see their website. FIT also collaborates with ECST, a team of Sergeants, Detectives, and Officers which focuses on investigating shootings.FIT and ECST consider all gunfire aimed at Portland community members to be attempted murder cases. Eyewitnesses or video evidence are crucial in solving these cases and these crime victims need people to come forward with any information. If anyone has information about any shooting case, please contact crimetips@police.portlandoregon….Information can be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers of Oregon. Anyone wishing to submit a secure and anonymous tip regarding any unsolved felony crime should visit their website or visit the App Store and download P3 Tips for your mobile device.Crime Stoppers of Oregon offers cash rewards of up to $2,500 cash for information, reported to Crime Stoppers, that leads to an arrest in any unsolved felony crime and tipsters remain anonymous.Crime Stoppers of Oregon is funded 100% by community donations. To support Crime Stoppers with a donation, or to view other unsolved cases, please visit their website .

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