Prosecutors aren’t issuing criminal charges against a man who allegedly flashed a replica gun while being driven past protesters Monday in downtown Portland.
Sergey E. Antonov was facing a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge, police said. But Haley Rayburn, a Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney, said prosecutors don’t have enough evidence to prove the referred charge.
Police said Monday that someone reported a pickup truck passenger showing what appeared to be a handgun to protesters while traveling past them. Officers stopped the driver in a “high-risk traffic stop” at Southwest 4th Avenue and Salmon Street.
They arrested Antonov, a 20-year-old Battle Ground resident, and initially detained the driver, who was released and not charged. Antonov, who was booked into jail and released on his own recognizance Monday, said there were three guns in the pickup truck and that no guns were waved.
A police report said the complaining witness was “shocked and uneasy but did not fear for their life,” Rayburn said.
Sergey E. Liderbahis AntonovMCSO
Antonov said each of the guns — an AR-15, rifle and airsoft gun — belong to his friend. They were just downtown to get food, he said, and didn’t know about the protest.
About 400 people had assembled in Terry Schrunk Plaza to protest President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
Antonov claimed someone saw a gun in the car and exaggerated to police. He said he supports the president but isn’t “against immigration whatsoever.” There were Trump and American flags in the bed of the truck, he said.
Monday was the third consecutive day of demonstrations against Trump’s immigration policies. Portland International Airport was packed Sunday with about 600 people, with 100 to 150 doing the same on Saturday.
The Portland Mercury first reported that Antonov won’t be prosecuted.
— Jim Ryan
jryan@oregonian.com
503-221-8005; @Jimryan015
Carli Brosseau of The Oregonian/OregonLive staff contributed to this report
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