prosecutors in Multnomah County, Oregon, have stated that the cannabis store employee who killed two alleged robbers did not flee the scene when he had previously had the opportunity to do so.
According to The Oregonian, Jason Robert Steiner, 34, entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf during a hearing on Thursday.
On the evening of October 3, authorities reported that the defendant, an employee of the regional cannabis dispensary chain La Mota, was present at a location, as reported by the outlet and the NBC Portland affiliate KGW. In an affidavit, prosecutors stated that he had informed officers that he was the sole employee present that evening.
He allegedly stepped out of a backroom after hearing a sound and discovered three individuals pointing firearms at him. Steiner allegedly stated that he feared they would follow him out after they let him go, as one of them inquired audibly about his possessions.
He informed investigators that he had removed his pistol from his backpack upon exiting the building and was waiting at the door in case they pursued him, according to law enforcement. For instance, he expressed his apprehension to officers that the criminals might seize his vehicle and “chase him down” after leaving his vehicle keys in the building.
Nevertheless, he purportedly stated that the criminals did not pursue him. Upon approaching the drive-through window, he believed that one of the individuals inside had a gun, and he determined that this was his opportunity. He allegedly opened fire until he ran out of bullets.
Steiner initiated the 911 contact. King Lawrence, 18, was discovered deceased at the scene by the police upon their arrival. Although Tahir Burley, 20, was making an effort to breathe, he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. According to officers, a third individual who was captured on surveillance footage had already vanished.
Steiner is being charged with two counts of second-degree murder and one count of attempted murder by the authorities due to his failure to evacuate when he had the opportunity.
“The police wrote that there was no apparent reason why Mr. Steiner did not leave the area at that time.” The door was closed, and Mr. Steiner was located around the corner and the length of the building from the entrance. The individuals were inside the building.
Although surveillance footage roughly matched his narrative, it also demonstrated that he fired through the drive-through window “almost immediately” and that none of the three individuals inside had a pistol when he did so, according to investigators. Authorities asserted that Burley was the sole individual to draw a firearm, and this occurred after Steiner’s fatal shooting.
Thirteen shell casings were discovered by the investigators at the site. According to authorities, Steiner allegedly identified himself as the shooter and provided law enforcement with the weapon and an empty magazine upon their arrival at the site.
According to authorities, when inquired about the absence of a serial number on the semiautomatic weapon, he responded that it was manufactured by him.
Steiner is reportedly serving three years of probation for an incident that occurred on December 15, 2021. In this incident, he plowed his pickup truck into a truck belonging to the manager who fired him from another dispensary. Subsequently, he sped past a red light into an unmarked sheriff’s patrol car and continued driving until the sheriff’s sergeant captured him in the damaged patrol vehicle.
Steiner was employed at NW Compassion recreational and medical dispensary for only a few weeks before he was accused of stealing from the register, according to a former colleague.
He was not charged with theft; however, on May 22, 2023, he entered a plea of guilty to charges that included recklessly endangering another person. This occurred just days after he renewed his state permit to work in dispensaries and purportedly did not disclose any criminal convictions.