Wealthy Portland Businessman’s Road Rage Escalates to Fatal Shooting, Bystander Injured
Oct 24, 2023, 01:00 AM
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A wealthy Portland businessman, Geoffrey E. Hammond, 46, allegedly fatally
gunned down a man amid a road rage confrontation and later turned
the weapon on a bystander who attempted to capture the incident on film.
The disturbing encounter unfolded in downtown Portland when Hammond,
owner of financial company Aequantium, partially blocked traffic with his
Mercedes Benz SUV in front of the Moxy Hotel on Southwest Alder. The victim,
Ryan Martin, 47, pulled up behind Hammond and tried to persuade him to move,
resulting in an exchange of gestures.
According to witness accounts and an arrest affidavit, Martin approached
Hammond after exiting his vehicle. Hammond later admitted to officers that he
could see that Martin was unarmed. After a verbal exchange, Hammond began
loading a firearm and shot Martin in the chest.
Martin tried to plead with Hammond for his life — telling him, “I’m sorry. I had a
bad day” — but the gunman allegedly tried to take a second shot at the dying
man. The gun jammed, police said.
As Phoenix resident Samuel Gomez filmed the unfolding tragedy, Hammond
reportedly targeted him with gunfire. The bullet passed through one of Gomez's
legs, breaking the femur in the other. Hammond, fleeing the scene, allegedly fired
another shot but missed his target.
“You are lucky I didn’t shoot you in the head,” witnesses recalled Hammond
saying, adding that the businessman also flashed a badge “as if he were a
policeman.”
Despite leaving the crime scene, Hammond called 911 as he drove to the county
courthouse, admitting to shooting both men. In his call, Hammond claimed he
believed the shootings were justified, citing perceived threats from Martin and
suspicions of an ambush by Gomez.
“He believed he was justified in doing so because Ryan Martin menaced him and
because Sam Gomez might have had a weapon,” the affidavit states, adding that
he thought Gomez “may have been planning an ambush which he recognized as a
military tactic.”
Further investigation revealed that Hammond recently changed his name from
Jeffrey Edward Mandalis, who had a criminal history in Illinois with charges
ranging from assault and vandalism to trespassing and domestic battery.
Witnesses and video footage, however, did not support Hammond's claims of
justification for the use of deadly force.
Hammond now faces multiple charges, including murder in the second degree
with a firearm, attempted murder in the second degree with a firearm, assault in
the first degree with a firearm, and two counts of unlawful use of a weapon.
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gunned down a man amid a road rage confrontation and later turned
the weapon on a bystander who attempted to capture the incident on film.
The disturbing encounter unfolded in downtown Portland when Hammond,
owner of financial company Aequantium, partially blocked traffic with his
Mercedes Benz SUV in front of the Moxy Hotel on Southwest Alder. The victim,
Ryan Martin, 47, pulled up behind Hammond and tried to persuade him to move,
resulting in an exchange of gestures.
According to witness accounts and an arrest affidavit, Martin approached
Hammond after exiting his vehicle. Hammond later admitted to officers that he
could see that Martin was unarmed. After a verbal exchange, Hammond began
loading a firearm and shot Martin in the chest.
Martin tried to plead with Hammond for his life — telling him, “I’m sorry. I had a
bad day” — but the gunman allegedly tried to take a second shot at the dying
man. The gun jammed, police said.
As Phoenix resident Samuel Gomez filmed the unfolding tragedy, Hammond
reportedly targeted him with gunfire. The bullet passed through one of Gomez's
legs, breaking the femur in the other. Hammond, fleeing the scene, allegedly fired
another shot but missed his target.
“You are lucky I didn’t shoot you in the head,” witnesses recalled Hammond
saying, adding that the businessman also flashed a badge “as if he were a
policeman.”
Despite leaving the crime scene, Hammond called 911 as he drove to the county
courthouse, admitting to shooting both men. In his call, Hammond claimed he
believed the shootings were justified, citing perceived threats from Martin and
suspicions of an ambush by Gomez.
“He believed he was justified in doing so because Ryan Martin menaced him and
because Sam Gomez might have had a weapon,” the affidavit states, adding that
he thought Gomez “may have been planning an ambush which he recognized as a
military tactic.”
Further investigation revealed that Hammond recently changed his name from
Jeffrey Edward Mandalis, who had a criminal history in Illinois with charges
ranging from assault and vandalism to trespassing and domestic battery.
Witnesses and video footage, however, did not support Hammond's claims of
justification for the use of deadly force.
Hammond now faces multiple charges, including murder in the second degree
with a firearm, attempted murder in the second degree with a firearm, assault in
the first degree with a firearm, and two counts of unlawful use of a weapon.
Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
The latest on Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com