A husband and wife were arrested Saturday after they demanded people leave a Southeast Portland Starbucks “before anything bad happened,” police said.
Rodney Allen Smith, 48, and Lisa Grier, 48, were both having mental health crises when they entered the store at Southeast Milwaukie Street and Bybee Boulevard and ordered everyone to leave, Portland police spokesman Sgt. Pete Simpson said.
Employees evacuated customers from the store, Simpson said. Police officers responded at about 10:30 a.m.
Police officers convinced Smith and Grier to come out of the store and surrender peacefully, Simpson said. They were both arrested shortly after 11 a.m.
Both are charged with coercion, Simpson said. Smith is also charged with third degree theft.
Smith and Grier were arrested earlier this month for demanding the evacuation of Safeway in Jantzen Beach, Simpson said. Smith told managers that he had a gun on Feb. 3, then locked himself in the manager’s office, Simpson said.
Smith surrendered peacefully and was taken to a hospital for a mental health evaluation, Simpson said. Grier was released from the scene.
— Samantha Matsumoto
smatsumoto@oregonian.com
503-294-4001; @SMatsumoto55
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