Portland officer who shot and killed Black motorist resigns

The officer who shot and killed James Jahar Perez has resigned to take a job at a Christian school. In a letter to Chief Derrick Foxworth, Officer Jason Sery said his decision has nothing to do with the March 28 shooting, which was the second lethal encounter between Portland police and an unarmed black motorist in less than a year. A Multnomah County grand jury cleared Sery, but the shooting prompted outrage among residents and led to a public inquest. Perez's family has filed a $10 million lawsuit against Sery, the city of Portland and another officer. Sery's resignation letter, dated Monday, says he has been asked to take a full-time ministry position with the junior high program at Southwest Bible Church and a teaching position at Southwest Christian School. [more ]