TIGARD, Ore. — The Washington County District Attorney's office is investigating the death of a man held down by a loss prevention employee, at some point by neck, in Tigard.
According to the Tigard Police, on Aug. 9 around 9:54 a.m., Tigard and King City officers responded to the scene at a Safeway store on Tigard's south end at 15570 Southwest Pacific Highway. Officers learned that a loss prevention worker had stopped a man, 46-year-old Michael Letendre, suspected of shoplifting and held him on the ground.
At one point, witnesses told police, Letendre was held by his neck. The loss prevention worker began CPR, then another store employee took over.
When police arrived, Letendre was unconscious and continued CPR until paramedics were able to take Letendre to a hospital, where he died on Aug. 16.
Tigard Police detectives are leading the investigation with the Washington County Major Crimes Team; the Washinton County District Attorney's Office will review the information and make a determination on whether a grand jury will review potential criminal charges.
According to Tigard Police, the loss prevention worker is from a private security company that contracts with Safeway and is not a Safeway employee. His name is not being released because he has not been criminally charged at this time.
