Marion County Grand Jury Finds Oregon State Trooper's Use Of Deadly Force Justified -03/21/25
On March 19, 2025, a Marion County Grand Jury unanimously found that Oregon State Police Senior Trooper Justin Oxenrider was justified in his use of deadly physical force against Matthew Wong (DOB 6/9/2002) on February 27, 2025.
The Grand Jury convened to hear testimony from 6 witnesses, including the Salem Police Department, who led the investigation. The Grand Jury reviewed multiple video exhibits as well as numerous pieces of evidence including photographs, scene diagrams, and autopsy conclusions. A law enforcement use of force expert was also called to testify about human dynamics in critical law enforcement incidents.
The following is a factual summary of evidence found by the Grand Jury:
On February 27, 2025, at approximately 10AM the Oregon State Police received a 911 call regarding an attempted robbery at the National Guard Air Station off Turner Road in Salem, Marion County, Oregon. Senior Trooper Oxenrider heard radio traffic dispatching another Trooper to a male subject at the Station’s guard shack. The subject, later determined to be Wong, had given the guard a note stating demands and 10 minutes to comply.
Specifically, the computer aided dispatch report (“CAD report”) available to Senior Trooper Oxenrider stated that a “male subject is at the guard shack in the front handed a note to RP [reporting party] saying I will give you 10 minutes to decide, something about laying down arms[.] This is the second time subj [subject] has appeared at the loc [location] in the last 3 days[.]”[1]
At the time, Senior Trooper Oxenrider was approximately 3 miles away preparing to train his explosive detection K9, Arty. Senior Trooper Oxenrider self-dispatched to assist on the call.
Senior Trooper Oxenrider drove his commonly marked police SUV northbound on Turner Road. At the time, he was wearing a standard, department-issued uniform, with his badge prominently displayed. He was familiar with this route because it was often used to travel between his job duties at the Oregon State Capital and State Police Headquarters. This area of Turner Road has multiple businesses, and is a busy, well-traveled thoroughfare. Furthermore, the location often has pedestrians walking or riding bikes on the sidewalks. There is also a homeless camp near the guard station, and numerous individuals regularly come and go from that location.
While enroute, Senior Trooper Oxenrider learned that the suspect had an active warrant for his arrest.[2] Additionally, Senior Trooper Oxenrider learned over the radio from other Troopers that Wong had pulled a knife on the police the last time they contacted him and that it had been necessary for law enforcement to use force.[3]
When Senior Trooper Oxenrider arrived at the guard station, he could see an individual matching the suspect’s description sitting on a stone bench near an airplane monument immediately southwest of the guard shack. Senior Trooper Oxenrider turned on both his on-board dash camera and body worn camera before he got out of the vehicle. He put on sanitary gloves (a common law enforcement practice), expecting to contact Wong due to the threatening note, history of threats against law enforcement, and active warrant for Wong’s arrest.
Once he got out of the vehicle, Senior Trooper Oxenrider yelled out: “Hey Partner! How you doin’?’” Wong turned, stood up, and said something which is not intelligible from the audio on the body worn camera. Wong began to walk away with his hands in pockets, and Senior Trooper Oxenrider told him: “K, you gotta take your hands outta your pockets for me, please.” Wong refused, and instead told Senior Trooper Oxenrider he would leave.
As Wong began to walk east across the parking lot, Senior Trooper Oxenrider walked behind his marked Oregon State Police SUV and re-addressed Wong in the parking lot. As they walked southeast towards a grassy embankment, Senior Trooper Oxenrider told Wong “No, you’re not leaving right now,” and again ordered Wong to take his hands out of his pockets. Again, Wong refused. Senior Trooper Oxenrider pulled out his less-than-lethal conducted energy device (hereinafter referred to as “Taser”).
Shortly thereafter, Wong removed his hands from his jacket pocket and put his hands up while displaying a knife with an exposed blade.[4] Senior Trooper Oxenrider asked Wong if he wanted to get tased. Senior Trooper Oxenrider deployed his taser at Wong but missed. Wong then charged Senior Trooper Oxenrider saying something unintelligible about a gun.
Wong and Senior Trooper Oxenrider engaged in a brief physical struggle, and they spun. During this physical exchange, Wong was holding his knife and swiped at the Trooper while Senior Trooper Oxenrider was still holding his taser. Senior Trooper Oxenrider testified that he tried to throw Wong to the ground but was unsuccessful. Again, Senior Trooper Oxenrider deployed his Taser, but again, the probes didn’t make sufficient contact for an effective deployment. The parties separated and Wong continued to walk southeast onto the grassy area between the entry driveway and Turner Road. Senior Trooper Oxenrider followed Wong, mirroring Wong’s direction of travel.
Senior Trooper Oxenrider testified that he was not going to let Wong leave the location because he believed that Wong was a threat to anyone in the immediate area and for the public at large.
As Senior Trooper Oxenrider commanded Wong to “Put the gun down!” Wong said “I really don’t want to hurt you” while Senior Trooper Oxenrider immediately corrected himself, and commanded Wong to, “Put the knife down!” Wong did not drop the weapon but instead continued to walk southeast towards Turner Road.
Senior Trooper Oxenrider testified that by this point, he had confronted Wong in uniform in a marked OSP SUV; given Wong multiple commands to drop his weapon, which were ignored; and unsuccessfully deployed his Taser twice, exhausting the tool;[5] therefore, Senior Trooper Oxenrider pulled his duty pistol. He testified that he saw Wong turn back in his direction with the knife in his hand in what he felt was an aggressive manner. Senior Trooper Oxenrider compared Wong’s look or movement to that which Wong used immediately prior to Wong’s previous charge.
Senior Trooper Oxenrider took two shots at Wong, who walked a few more steps, and then fell to the grass.[6]
The total elapsed time between Wong’s first charge at Senior Trooper Oxenrider to the time the shots were fired was approximately 7 seconds.
Senior Trooper Oxenrider approached to render aid, and he picked up a knife with an exposed blade and threw it away from Wong to make the scene safe.[7] Despite Senior Trooper Oxenrider’s, responding officers' and EMT attempts to provide medical treatment, Wong succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Overall, the investigation showed that Senior Trooper Oxenrider fired twice. Wong was hit both times. An autopsy conducted by Deputy State Medical Examiner Nicole Stanley later determined that one bullet entered and exited Wong’s right arm, entered the right side of his chest, exited his left side of his chest. The other shot hit Wong in the right back slightly behind his right arm and exited his upper left chest. The autopsy could not determine which bullet struck Wong first.
No pedestrians, bystanders or police officers were injured during this incident.
The Salem Police Department led the investigation. Pursuant to Marion County’s Officer Use of Deadly Force Protocol, a non-involved police agency must lead these investigations. Photographs, diagrams, and other scene evidence collected during that investigation was presented to the Grand Jury for their consideration.
Wong had two prior arrests and no previous convictions.
The Grand Jury applied the facts of this case to the legal principles dictating circumstances when deadly physical force can be used. Oregon Revised Statute 161.242 describes when a peace officer may use deadly physical force. Specifically, the Grand Jury unanimously found that, under the totality of the circumstances known to Senior Trooper Oxenrider, he reasonably determined that the use of deadly physical force was necessary as:
- Matthew Wong had committed and attempted to commit the violent felonies of Attempted Robbery, Attempted Assault in the First and Second Degree, and Unlawful Use of a Weapon
and that
- deadly force was necessary to make a lawful arrest;
- and/or deadly physical force was necessary to prevent escape for those crimes;
- and/or deadly physical force was necessary to defend a peace officer or another person from the use or threatened imminent use of deadly physical force;
and that under the totality of the circumstances existing at the time and place, the use of such force was justified.
The Grand Jury further found that all reasonable alternatives, such as verbal de-escalation, waiting, or using other available techniques or resources weren’t feasible as Senior Trooper Oxenrider had provided Wong with verbal and visual warnings, attempted less-than-lethal tools unsuccessfully twice, and provided him with a reasonable opportunity to comply.
The Grand Jury's decision required reviewing all the facts and evidence available and applying them to the legal principles above. Overall, the Grand Jury concluded that the actions of Senior Trooper Oxenrider were justified and lawful.
Upon the grand jury’s determination, representatives from the Marion County District Attorney’s Office, including their family service coordinator, met with members of Mr. Wong’s family to explain the legal determination and answer any questions that they had.
Marion County District Attorney Paige Clarkson stated, "I would like to thank the Grand Jury for their careful and thorough review of this dangerous situation. It is tragic that Mr. Wong was experiencing mental health struggles, and this case highlights the dangerous outcomes for our neighbors, our law enforcement officers and our community when such issues go unaddressed. Senior Trooper Oxenrider was faced with an untenable situation not of his own creation. I know that no one wanted this outcome on that day.
She went on to comment on the value of all the evidence reviewed by the Grand Jury: “The body worn camera is an excellent tool, and we benefit and learn from the views it provides us. We must be careful, however, to not to over-emphasize its weight compared to all the evidence. We ask our law enforcement professionals to make split-second decisions in the real world, with real world consequences for their safety and the safety of our communities. I appreciate the Grand Jury’s careful consideration of all the evidence, not just the body worn camera, and the applicable law requiring law enforcement be reasonable. I am thankful that Senior Trooper Oxenrider was there to protect our community that day.”
“I further commend the entire investigative team, including the Salem Police and my office’s Medical Legal Death Investigators. We continue to fulfill the important requirements of the Marion County Use of Force protocol, with skill, integrity, and transparency. To all our Law Enforcement in Marion County: We are grateful that you continue to protect and serve."
The following items from the investigation can be located from the Google Drive link below:
- Photograph of Wong’s Knife
- Photograph of Wong’s demand note provided to the Station Guard
- Senior Trooper Oxenrider’s Body Worn Camera Video *WARNING- GRAPHIC*
- Video of incident from nearby business. *WARNING- GRAPHIC*
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1uaR23Uy-IUS2ZnALwwrCqB5zmGAL-tzk?usp=sharing
Chief Deputy District Attorney Brendan Murphy presented the investigation to the Grand Jury. Questions can be directed to BPMurphy@co.marion.or.us
[1] A photograph of the complete note is included with this release.
[2] That information was correct, as Wong had an active warrant for his arrest in Marion County Circuit Court case 24CR12276 for Unlawful Use of a Weapon.
[3] On March 7, 2024, Wong had previously appeared at the guard station demanding to speak with Governor Kotek about child sex trafficking. He had a knife threatened to stab law enforcement if they arrested him. At that time, Troopers deployed Tasers four times, none of which appeared successful likely due to Wong’s thick clothing. In that incident, the responding Trooper specifically wrote that Wong “nearly forced a use of deadly force incident.” The Grand Jury was not told details about this incident.
[4] A picture of that weapon has been attached to the link in this release.
[5] Senior Trooper Wong’s Taser cartridge allowed for two “shots” with 2 probes each.
[6] Some of the expert testimony provided to the Grand Jury focused on human dynamics; that is, how long it takes a human being to process a stimulus, decide to respond, and then physically execute that response. Here, the expert estimated that Wong took several steps between the time Senior Trooper perceived a threat, decided to fire, aimed his weapon at a moving target, and then fired his gun.
[7] The body worn camera video was redacted, and the full video will not be released pursuant to ORS 192.355(2). The grand jury had access to the entire body worn camera footage.
