News Release from: Clackamas Co. Sheriff's Office

Clackamas County grand jury exonerates deputies in April 21 shooting incident

Posted: May 8, 2009 3:27 p.m.

On Tuesday, April 21, 2009, BRADLEY MICHAEL SNELL, age 38, barged into a neighboring residence while armed with a handgun -- holding a mother and her children at gunpoint for more than two horrifying hours.

During this ordeal, Bradley Snell repeatedly threatened to kill Kelly Denise Finley, 37, and her 8- and 9-year-old children, who reside at 12860 SE 21st Ave. in Milwaukie.

The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) was first alerted to this hostage situation by a nurse and a pharmacist who had learned from a series of frantic phone calls that Finley was in jeopardy while receiving life-threatening commands from a male intruder in her home who was demanding drugs. The intruder -- Bradley Snell -- was known to these medical staffers as a patient.

Through telephone identification tracing methods, Sheriff's Office deputies soon pinpointed the exact location of this ongoing siege and discreetly cordoned off the area surrounding the Finley residence.

The Sheriff's Office Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) Team was summoned to the scene. During this tense tactical event, highly skilled Sheriff's Office Hostage Negotiation Team (HNT) members attempted to communicate with Snell and defuse this unpredictable situation.

All efforts to communicate and reason with Snell proved futile, and Snell continued threatening Kelly Finley and her children at gunpoint.

At 5 p.m., after two hours of this intense standoff, Bradley Snell was observed peering out the front door of the Finley residence by a deployed SWAT-team member. The SWAT-team member then fired one round in an effort to eliminate the threat to Finley and her children -- shooting Snell as he attempted to return inside the residence occupied by Finley and the children.

SWAT-team members swarmed Snell as he continued to struggle, still armed with a handgun. Snell was physically overpowered and disarmed by the tactical team. Once secured, Snell was packaged for medical transport to a local hospital, where he died in the emergency room as a result of the gunshot wound to his lower abdominal region.

In response to this use of lethal force, members of the Clackamas County Inter-Agency Major Crimes Team began conducting an impartial investigation. Also -- in keeping with Sheriff's Office policy -- the two deputies directly involved in the shooting were immediately placed on administrative leave during the investigation and the pending grand-jury process.

The two deputies are identified as:

1. Sgt. Tim Beard, a 10-year veteran of law enforcement who was first hired by the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office in December 2003. Sgt. Beard was previously employed by the West Linn Police Department. Sgt. Beard made the ultimate decision and fired the shot that eventually killed Snell, ensuring the safety of the three hostages.

2. Deputy Justin Brummett, a four-year veteran of the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office, first employed with CCSO in December 2005. Deputy Brummett was accompanying Sgt. Beard when Beard initiated the use of lethal force.

The investigation was completed by the Clackamas County Inter-Agency Major Crimes Team, and the results were compiled and submitted to the Clackamas County District Attorney's Office.

On Friday, May 8, 2009, the Clackamas County District Attorney's Office presented this case to a Clackamas County grand jury that was convened to review and hear testimony regarding this shooting incident.

This grand jury exonerated the deputies involved in the shooting incident.

For interested media outlets, the completed case file of this investigation is now available at the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office South Station, located at 2225 South Kaen Road in Oregon City. Media outlets wishing to acquire a copy of the case file are asked to submit a formal request for this public record by contacting the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer.

Kelly Finley indicates she will be available today (Friday, May 8) for media interviews. Contact PIO Det. Jim Strovink for details.
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EARLIER:
Sheriff's Office SWAT team rescues mother, two children from armed intruder

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Contact Info:
Jim Strovink, Detective
Clackamas County Sheriff's Office