Micheal J.Evans of Gladstone, Oregon - AA member since the age of 14 killed by police during domestic dispute-Tue. Aug. 14, 2012

Michael J. Evans at 23 years old looks like the boy next door or someone you would easily become friends with in an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. Micheal joined Alcoholics Anonymous at the age of 14 in an attempt to turn his life around in Gladstone, Oregon. He most likely was sponsored by and sponsored many people during his 9 year career in Alcoholics Anonymous. Unfortunately, it would appear that AA was not what Micheal J. Evans needed and after numerous police incidents, Micheal was shot 4 times by two police Officers and killed in front of the home he shared with his maternal grandmother.

Friends and neighbors, police records of Gladstone man shot by police paint conflicting pictures

Published: Wednesday, August 15, 2012
By Molly Harbarger, The Oregonian

Jim Reynolds showed up just after 7 a.m. to examine the orange spray-painted outline of the body of his lifelong friend Michael Justin Evans of Gladstone.

He parked at the end of the quiet block, filled with families and vacant homes, and walked to the house Evans shared with his maternal grandmother.

Reynolds looked calm, staring at the outline in the front yard, but his voice sounded angry when he saw the bloody patch of grass in the neck area of the outline.

"I don't know why they had to shoot him four times," Reynolds said, bitterly.

Gladstone Police responded to a domestic disturbance call before 11 p.m. Tuesday. Evans, 23, confronted officers with a knife, said Gladstone Police Chief Jim Pryde.

Two police officers have been placed on paid administrative leave while the shooting is under investigation by the Clackamas County Major Crimes Team. The officers' names were not released.

Reynolds, 22, said he and Evans became friends at the age of 6. Evans struggled with mental illness and addiction his whole life, according to friends and neighbors. Reynolds said he joined Alcoholics Anonymous at 14.

"He's been begging for help for many, many years," Reynolds said.

Evans has a long list of run-ins and police often showed up at the house on the 300 block of West Fairfield Street in Gladstone. Reynolds said police were there just a couple of days ago because Evans was suspected of drug possession.

But Reynolds refused to believe Evans was a threat.

"Of course he'd come out screaming and yelling, but he's harmless," Reynolds said.

Next-door neighbor Jennifer Lee said Evans was a nice kid, and she was surprised by what happened.

"My husband would loan him tools when he needed it," she said.

The porch light of the house was still on as the sun rose, illuminating Reynolds’ hat lightly as he stared at orange-and-blood-stained grass.

"It's so young," Reynolds said. "And (he's) been begging for help for 10 years."

However, Evans had a history of domestic disturbances and several previous run-ins with the law.

A Clackamas County judge issued a restraining order against him in March after his girlfriend, Chelsey Lynn Stoughton, 22, of Gladstone petitioned the court.

Meanwhile, when he was killed, Evans still was on probation from 2011 convictions for attempting to elude a police officer, a Class C felony, and reckless driving, a Class A misdemeanor. Evans served seven days in jail as part of his sentence.

He also was on probation from contempt-of-court conviction last month.

Evans was cited for contempt of court in June, but the charge was dismissed.

-- Molly Harbarger: 503-294-5923

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Source: http://www.oregonlive.com/milwaukie/index.ssf/2012/08/friends_and_neighbor...