Statement from Councilor Sameer Kanal on the In-Custody Death of Damon Lamarr Johnson

This is a tragedy. I offer my condolences to Damon Lamarr Johnson's family, and I am sincerely sorry for your loss.

The short videos I watched today show no reason he should have died. I don't believe the City should be releasing edited or narrated body camera footage. We need to release more information and trust the public to process it and to ask their own questions. I will be reviewing the full footage and doing the same.

Cases like this highlight why we need a public safety system that does not send police to these types of mental health crisis calls, and I am working to build that system.

I have been working for community oversight of police for four years, and this is why we need the Community Board for Police Accountability that Portlanders voted for. I commit to working tirelessly within the current, imperfect system to support a real accountability process.

As a North Portland resident, representative of District 2, and co-chair of the Community and Public Safety Committee, I will be keeping a close eye on this. Damon Lamarr Johnson's life matters, and this is a priority for me.

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