News Release from: Clackamas Co. Sheriff's Office
Sheriff's Office arrests suspect in parking-lot hammer attack
Victim available for interviews this afternoon (June 28)
Posted: June 28, 2011, 12:20 p.m.
Please refer to Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Case #11-19251
At 5:35 p.m. on Monday, June 27, 2011 Clackamas County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a disturbance in the parking lot of the Wal-Mart located at 10000 SE 82nd Ave.
Deputies soon learned that a 59-year-old male adult had been assaulted in the Wal-Mart parking lot by a 31-year-old man wielding a hammer, in an unprovoked attack.
The victim -- Harry Anderson, 59, of Milwaukie -- told deputies that he had completed his shopping in Wal-Mart, exited the store, and was walking to his automobile in the lot. As he approached his vehicle, Anderson told deputies he was hit on the back of his head.
Immediately following this strike, the suspect -- armed with a hammer -- came around to the front of Anderson and hit him in the forehead.
The suspect then reportedly raised the hammer again, but Anderson was able to block and deflect the next intended strike and push the suspect -- who was smiling -- away from him.
A conscientious citizen -- John Curran, 36, of Happy Valley -- witnessed the attack and moved to intervene in the assault. This is believed to have caused the suspect to flee the scene on foot.
Witnesses observed and followed the suspect -- enabling arriving deputies to chase the suspect on foot for a short distance and successfully apprehend him near the Sears Outlet Store parking lot. The suspect was taken into custody without further incident.
The suspect is identified as Jonathan Edward Jones, 31. He provided deputies with a residential address on NE 202nd Avenue in Portland. Jonathan Jones was transported to the Clackamas County Jail and lodged on the following charges: