PORTLAND, Ore. — A man is facing murder and bias crime charges stemming from a January fatal shooting in a motel parking lot on Southeast 82nd Avenue.
On Jan. 19, officers responded around 8 p.m. to a report of a shooting in the Brentwood-Darlington neighborhood near Flavel Street. They arrived to find a man, identified as 25-year-old Rametheus Clenese Hill of Fairview, dead from a gunshot wound in the parking lot of a motel.
During the investigation, detectives identified a suspect, 52-year-old Kirk D. Belgarde, according to the Portland Police Bureau (PPB). A Multnomah County grand jury determined that Belgrade had "intentionally caused physical injury to the victim because of his perception of the victim’s race." He was then arrested on April 17 in Portland.
Belgrade was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center, charged with second-degree murder, first-degree bias crime and felon in possession of a firearm, PPB said.
Hill's family has been notified of the arrest, according to the agency.
If anyone has information about this case, contact Detective Brian Sims at Brian.Sims@police.portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-2079, or Detective Meghan Burkeen at Meghan.Burkeen@police.portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-2092. The case number is 24-14609.
PPB added that if you have been the victim of a bias crime assault, or if you have witnessed one, immediately call 911. If you have been the victim of a different bias crime, such as vandalism or graffiti, and the suspect is no longer present, call the non-emergency line at 503-823-3333.
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