Portland man arrested for allegedly holding ex-girlfriend hostage and killing her
11/24/2021 12:21 pm PST
PORTLAND, Ore. (TCD) -- A 29-year-old man was arrested Sunday following a standoff with police and allegedly killing his ex-girlfriend.
According to the Portland Police Bureau, on Nov. 21 at 3:37 p.m., officers from the East Bureau conducted a welfare check in the 2400 block of Southeast 171st Avenue because a woman called and said she was being held hostage. Some of the neighbors in the area also reportedly called Portland Police to report hearing gunshots in the area.
When officers arrived at the residence, they knocked on the door and "were then shot at through the door from the inside by an unknown suspect," Portland Police's statement says.
Following the shots, officers went outside and created a perimeter outside the building. They reportedly heard "additional shots being fired from within the residence." The department's Special Emergency Response Team and Crisis Negotiation Team soon arrived on scene and attempted to speak with people inside the residence.
According to Portland Police, those attempts by the Crisis Negotiation Team, which included communicating by telephone and "loud hailing" with a Long Range Acoustic Device, were "unsuccessful." The Special Emergency Response Team broke down windows to look inside and threw a chemical agent inside the residence, which allegedly resulted in the suspect firing at officers again. The statement says officers did not return fire. They once again asked the suspect to surrender.
Portland Police eventually used a robot to get inside the residence and found a male "crawling around on his hands and knees." The suspect, identified as Davonte Donahue, barricaded himself in a room, but was apprehended by the Special Emergency Response Team at 1:12 a.m.
While inside, officers reportedly found a deceased female. Her cause and manner of death will be determined by the Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office.
Portland Police said Donahue is charged with first-degree murder (domestic violence), felon in possession of a firearm (domestic violence), five counts of first-degree attempted murder, and a Multnomah County warrant.
According to KPTV-TV, the victim was identified as Mariela Gonzalez Rocha, who was the mother of a young son.
The Oregonian/Oregon Live reports Donahue was previously sentenced to nine years in prison for sex trafficking of a minor. On July 6, he reportedly got released from federal prison and was moved to a reentry center in Portland. On Aug. 12, however, he reportedly escaped from the center, cut off his ankle bracelet, and fled in a car. A warrant was signed for his arrest on Oct. 4.
MORE:
- UPDATE: Man Arrested After Shooting at Police, Standoff, Charged with Murder - Portland Police Bureau
- Man faces murder charge in death of woman found after SE Portland police stand-off - The Oregonian/Oregon Live
- Family members identify mom killed in SE Portland shooting and standoff; suspect was wanted already - KPTV