"I think my rage led to their rage"

City investigates altercation involving firefighters, Portland man

By Tim Hohl

KPAM 860, Jan 12, 2007, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (21 Reader comments)

The Portland Fire Bureau is investigating an incident this week in which three firefighters and a lieutenant were involved in an altercation with a 48-year-old man while responding to a medical call in downtown Portland.

The incident, which occurred early Thursday morning inside the lobby of the Fairfield apartments at Southwest 11th Avenue and Stark Street, was caught on surveillance video.

It initially shows fire personnel assisting a man, who called for help with a severe headache. As soon as another apartment resident, identified as Terry De George, enters the picture, there is pushing and shoving immediately before De George is wrestled to the ground. During the altercation, Fire Bureau Lt. Robert Bedgood is seen talking on his radio and then approaching the pile of people, and kicking De George three times.

The police report quotes Bedgood as saying he kicked De George "a couple of times to try and defend himself and his firefighters."

De George was eventually restrained in handcuffs by a private security guard.

Portland Fire Bureau spokesman Allen Oswalt said, "There were other dynamics that were not readily available on the tape," such as audio of De George being abusive and making threats. "That's the glaring thing in the video," Oswalt said, "but the public should know there were other things going on that provoked that."

Portland Police officers who responded to the scene told Bedgood and the other firefighters there was probably cause to arrest De George, but Bedgood declined to press charges.

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