PSU agrees to pay $1 million to family of man killed by campus police

(JANUARY 03, 2020) In 2018, campus police officers at Portland State University shot and killed Jason Washington. The man's family planned to sue the university. Now the family and the university have made an agreement.

The family will not take the university to court. The university will pay $1 million to the family. Some of the money will be used to start a scholarship.

“Our goal is that these changes will bring about awareness and help prevent this type of tragedy from ever occurring again,” said Jason Washington's wife Michelle. “We pray that no family will ever endure the pain and suffering of losing someone as irreplaceable as Jason.”

Washington's death was controversial because many people do not think PSU police should have guns. In 2018, there was a fight among people who had been drinking. Washington, who was black, tried to stop the fight. Police arrived and shot Washington.

“Mr. Washington’s death was tragic, and our campus community mourns his loss,” said the university in a statement announcing the settlement. “His death made us significantly reassess our approach to campus safety.”

PSU still has armed campus police officers, but now they must complete additional training.

“Our focus for the future will be to keep Jason’s memory alive by establishing a memorial scholarship,” said Michelle Washington in a statement. “This will serve as a reminder of Jason’s huge impact on not only his family and friends, but the entire community. Jason is and always will be remembered as a God loving, caring family man that was a friend to all.”