Shooting horrifies Portland shoppers

PORTLAND – A homeless man was shot to death during an argument with another man in front of dozens of horrified holiday shoppers on Thursday, police said.

They said Vincent Stemle Jr., 56, was arrested shortly after surrendering to officers at the scene in front of Meier & Frank, a popular department store across from Pioneer Courthouse Square in the heart of downtown.

He has been charged with murder. Police recovered a gun from him. The victim was identified as Michael Egan, 41.

KPAM radio reported that witnesses said the victim was panhandling on the transit mall in front of the department store when he was shot during the morning rush hour with the street full of shoppers on last-minute Christmas errands.

Portland police spokesman Sgt. Brian Schmautz said the victim was apparently homeless, but detectives so far had not been able to confirm the man had been panhandling.

Pioneer Courthouse Square is popular among the homeless, panhandlers and young transients, and attracts street performers and musicians. It is also the center of the downtown transit system, where light rail lines cross the main bus routes.

Schmautz said police are “familiar” with the 41-year-old victim and the 56-year-old suspect, but he wouldn’t elaborate.

The suspect had just gotten off a bus before getting into a fight with the victim but investigators had not determined a motive, Schmautz said.

Witnesses say the gunman fired three shots at the victim.

“I heard one shot, a pause, and then two more shots, really loud,” said Sandy Sprague, who operates a flower cart about 30 feet from the shooting scene. Sprague said people ran away, afraid for their lives.

Ivan Castille, 40, was working at a nearby construction site when he heard the shots and saw a man wearing a black down jacket on the ground, partially covered by newspapers. Another man was administering first aid and calling 911.

“I think he was using the newspapers to try and stop the blood,” Castille said. He added the victim appeared to have been shot in the chest and wasn’t moving.

A security worker from Meier & Frank ran out of the store after hearing the shots to help the man, Sprague said.

Three people who took refuge in a Williams-Sonoma store near the shooting scene were near tears as they described the shooting to police.

The last fatal shooting downtown was in March 2002, when a man killed a fellow methadone patient near the same transit mall and was chased by a crowd of witnesses.