2 Teenagers Accused of Murdering Man Who Tried to Stop Them From Stealing: ‘His Loss Has Left a Profound Void’

Two teenagers in Oregon have been arrested on murder and robbery charges after they allegedly shot a man who was trying to stop them from robbing a grocery store.

Officers were called to a Fred Meyer grocery store in Portland’s Hazelwood neighborhood at around 3:50 p.m. local time on Jan. 13, following reports of a robbery and gunshots, according to a press release from the Portland Police Bureau and reports from local stations KOIN and KPTV,

Outside the store, officers found 47-year-old Jonathan Trent on the ground. He had sustained a gunshot wound and was quickly taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The medical examiner announced soon after that his cause of death was homicide from a gunshot wound, police said. “The initial investigation suggests that Trent was shot after witnessing a robbery and attempting to stop the suspect,” police wrote at the time.

In an update shared on Jan. 23, police announced they had arrested three boys, including a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old, each of whom are facing murder and robbery charges. A third teen, a 15-year-old who police said knows the other two suspects, was arrested for a separate Jan. 1 robbery.

Police also believe the 16-year-old was involved in a string of four other robberies that took place in the area during the first two weeks of January.

Matt Jacobsen, a sergeant with the department’s major crimes init, told KPTV that investigators learned that several crimes that occurred in the area in the 48 hours after the shooting were all related, leading to the arrest of the suspects.

“Throughout the course of the investigation, we’re able to identify five events that were related to this group,” Jacobsen said, per the outlet.

“This type of crime with these youths is fairly uncommon,” he continued. “Unfortunately, guns are available in this community and it’s deeply concerning to see youth of this age, armed with firearms.”

All three boys — whose identities have not been released — are being held at the Donald E Long Juvenile Detention Center. KPTV reported that the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office is deciding whether the two teens charged with murder will be tried as adults.

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Trent’s family has since opened up about his death in a GoFundMe page, which has surpassed its $25,000 goal to help his son and his son’s mother in the wake of his death.

“Jon was a man of warmth, kindness, and joy who brought light to everyone around him. He was a constant presence at the pool, supporting [his son] and inspiring our community with his positivity and generous spirit,” the fundraising page states. “His loss has left a profound void in our hearts and in the lives of those who knew him.”