from The Oregonian
Clackamas County grand jury found Tuesday that a sheriff's sergeant was justified in fatally shooting a mentally ill woman wielding a knife.
The ruling cleared Clackamas County Sgt. Paul Steigleder II, 41, of possible wrongdoing in the Sept. 3 killing of Joyce Staudenmaier.
Jacquelyn Staudenmaier, the victim's sister, declined to comment.
The 49-year-old woman was shot in the chest in the lobby of her residence, Chez Ami Apartments, a complex for mentally ill people near Clackamas Town Center.
"I am pleased with the findings of the grand jury in this matter," said Sheriff Pat Detloff, who said his department will conduct its own review.
"The investigation we were involved with . . . showed that it was a justifiable shooting and there were no other options open to Sgt. Steigleder other than use of deadly physical force," he said.
Steigleder, who had been placed on paid administrative leave, can return to work as early as today, Detloff said.
Joyce Staudenmaier grew up in Lake Oswego and attended a performing arts college in San Diego. She battled schizophrenia for almost three decades.
She had been talking to herself and disturbing neighbors in the days before mental health workers called the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office for help, police had said.
Steigleder arrived at the apartment lobby about 10 a.m. and was told that Joyce Staudenmaier was not in the building but could have a weapon. He called for backup.
Before backup could arrive, Staudenmaier came to the lobby and lunged at Steigleder with a knife, police said at the time.
The sergeant tried to back away but could not escape. He then shot her once in the chest.
Meanwhile, Detloff said his agency, in its review, will assess whether there is a need for additional training for officers in dealing with the mentally ill.
A three- to four-member board is expected to convene within 30 days. Detloff said he expected the findings of the review to be made public.
The Oregon Advocacy Center, a Portland-based group that works for the rights of the disabled, has requested that the state Office of Investigations and Training review the shooting.
Bruce Jenness, OIT acting director, said the office does not investigate police but does review allegations of abuse and neglect of patients in the mental health system.
Jenness said it was undetermined whether his office would investigate.
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
Letter to the Editor
from The Oregonian
MENTALLY ILL ABANDONED BY STATE
The death of Joyce Staudenmaier is a tragedy for both her family and the officer who shot her. We will hear the results of inquiries about the shooting, but will there be an investigation into the real cause of her death?
In my opinion, her death reflects more the failure of our system of care than the bullet that killed her. Oregon has largely abandoned the mentally ill by not providing adequate resources.
Judges do not commit patients who meet the standards expressed in our statutes. Counties defend the limitations in care because of insufficient resources. The Legislature complains about the federal government and the bad economy.
Who, then, is going to step forward and stop the premature deaths of people with mental illness? Police shootings catch our attention, but suicide and premature death from medical illness are more costly.
It is time for the governor, the Legislature, county and city governments to accept responsibility and correct the tragic state of mental health care.
THOMAS E. HANSEN, M.D.
Psychiatrist
Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Associate professor
Oregon Health & Science University
Southwest Portland
MENTALLY ILL ABANDONED BY STATE
The death of Joyce Staudenmaier is a tragedy for both her family and the officer who shot her. We will hear the results of inquiries about the shooting, but will there be an investigation into the real cause of her death?
In my opinion, her death reflects more the failure of our system of care than the bullet that killed her. Oregon has largely abandoned the mentally ill by not providing adequate resources.
Judges do not commit patients who meet the standards expressed in our statutes. Counties defend the limitations in care because of insufficient resources. The Legislature complains about the federal government and the bad economy.
Who, then, is going to step forward and stop the premature deaths of people with mental illness? Police shootings catch our attention, but suicide and premature death from medical illness are more costly.
It is time for the governor, the Legislature, county and city governments to accept responsibility and correct the tragic state of mental health care.
THOMAS E. HANSEN, M.D.
Psychiatrist
Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Associate professor
Oregon Health & Science University
Southwest Portland
Wednesday, September 8, 2004
Letter to the Editor
from The Oregonian
Nothing prepares you'
Clackamas County was once my home and where I raised my children. I was a sergeant in the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office until retiring in 2001.
The shooting at Chez Ami Apartments last Friday was tragic. My heart goes out to the family and friends of Joyce Staudenmaier. For years they have loved her and have done everything possible to protect and guide her.
Mental illness is such a confusing disease. I am without doubt that Staudenmaier saw Sgt. Paul Steigleder II as a horrible, evil threat that she had to protect herself from. And then she attacked that threat.
No matter how much training you have, nothing prepares you for a violent response from a mentally ill person with a weapon.
To take a person's life is a nightmare for a police officer. It is the dreaded moment that no police officer ever wants to face. When Staudenmaier saw her demon and tried to protect herself from it, it gave Steigleder only seconds to protect himself.
My heart goes out to both families. We all need to have compassion and understanding for both families. From having been in Steigleder's shoes, I know his thoughts and feelings. We wish everyone with criticism and advice could have been in our shoes, with our feelings.
VAUGHN C. KLIER, Towner County Sheriff Perth, N.D.
Nothing prepares you'
Clackamas County was once my home and where I raised my children. I was a sergeant in the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office until retiring in 2001.
The shooting at Chez Ami Apartments last Friday was tragic. My heart goes out to the family and friends of Joyce Staudenmaier. For years they have loved her and have done everything possible to protect and guide her.
Mental illness is such a confusing disease. I am without doubt that Staudenmaier saw Sgt. Paul Steigleder II as a horrible, evil threat that she had to protect herself from. And then she attacked that threat.
No matter how much training you have, nothing prepares you for a violent response from a mentally ill person with a weapon.
To take a person's life is a nightmare for a police officer. It is the dreaded moment that no police officer ever wants to face. When Staudenmaier saw her demon and tried to protect herself from it, it gave Steigleder only seconds to protect himself.
My heart goes out to both families. We all need to have compassion and understanding for both families. From having been in Steigleder's shoes, I know his thoughts and feelings. We wish everyone with criticism and advice could have been in our shoes, with our feelings.
VAUGHN C. KLIER, Towner County Sheriff Perth, N.D.
Letter to the Editor
from the Oregonian
Mace, baton, fists, feet first
I work in a busy Portland emergency department that sees many psychiatric patients in crisis. I have often had to help restrain patients, and in one instance disarm a woman who had a knife. It can be a harrowing experience.
Nevertheless, I find it hard to understand how an experienced sergeant could not find a way to use non-lethal force to defend himself against a 49-year-old schizophrenic woman with a knife. His adversary was not a well-conditioned martial-arts expert.
People with severe mental illness are not particularly known for being in top shape. Where was the Mace, the baton, his fists and his feet? That he believed shooting this woman was his only option is a sad commentary on this sergeant's training.
That this woman had reached such a state of crisis is an indication of our failing safety net for mental health patients -- but then, that's another letter.
DAVID PEASLEE, M.D. Lake Oswego
Mace, baton, fists, feet first
I work in a busy Portland emergency department that sees many psychiatric patients in crisis. I have often had to help restrain patients, and in one instance disarm a woman who had a knife. It can be a harrowing experience.
Nevertheless, I find it hard to understand how an experienced sergeant could not find a way to use non-lethal force to defend himself against a 49-year-old schizophrenic woman with a knife. His adversary was not a well-conditioned martial-arts expert.
People with severe mental illness are not particularly known for being in top shape. Where was the Mace, the baton, his fists and his feet? That he believed shooting this woman was his only option is a sad commentary on this sergeant's training.
That this woman had reached such a state of crisis is an indication of our failing safety net for mental health patients -- but then, that's another letter.
DAVID PEASLEE, M.D. Lake Oswego
Monday, September 6, 2004
Sergeant In Shooting Identified
from The Oregonian, by Peter Farrell
The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office identified the officer who shot a mentally ill woman to death Friday as Sgt. Paul Steigleder II, a supervisor who started with the sheriff's office as a cadet 24 years ago.
A sheriff's spokesman said that following standard procedure, Steigleder will not be interviewed by investigators until after he meets with an attorney Tuesday.
However, witnesses told investigators that Steigleder backed up and even ran from the woman before he reached a position where he could no longer retreat as she charged at him holding a knife above her head, said Joel Manley, the sheriff's public information officer.
"He was out of options," Manley said. "Any deputy would have had no option but to shoot her."
The sheriff's major crimes unit is investigating the shooting under the supervision of the district attorney and medical examiner. Detectives have interviewed other witnesses and have canvassed the area around the Chez Ami Apartments at 8358 Causey Ave., about a half-mile north of Clackamas Town Center, to find anyone with information.
Sheriff Pat Detloff was not available for comment Sunday, Manley said.
Manley said allowing Steigleder to meet with an attorney before talking to investigators did not mean he was suspected of doing anything wrong. "The procedure would be the same for any deputy," he said. "It's automatic."
Investigators do not see a connection between Friday's events and the wounding of Sgt. Damon Coates last year. Coates was surprised when a troubled 15-year-old he was handcuffing suddenly pulled a gun and shot him.
In a lawsuit against the county, Coates, who suffers from permanent injuries, said dispatchers should have done more to make sure he knew the teen was armed and dangerous. He also contends that the deputies originally dispatched to the boy's home were not trained to respond to a situation involving a mentally ill person.
Steigleder was advised by dispatchers that Joyce M. Staudenmaier, 49, who lived with other mentally ill people in the apartment complex, was known to carry a knife at times.
The sergeant went alone to the apartment complex operated by Central City Concern to help a mental health worker restrain Staudenmaier. After receiving a briefing in the complex office, he called for a second deputy.
Before the deputy arrived, Staudenmaier, "obviously in crisis," appeared while Steigleder was talking to people in the office and came at him with a knife, Manley said.
Janice Burdick, Joyce Staudenmaier's sister, was angry about the shooting. She said Saturday that her sister, who had a 30-year history of schizophrenia, should have been dealt with by someone who had experience with the mentally ill.
Staudenmaier's family could not be reached for comment Sunday.
Manley said that from what investigators were told, Staudenmaier was immediately violent.
"This was not a situation where crisis training would apply," Manley said. He said all Clackamas County deputies undergo crisis-intervention training, and as a supervisor, Steigleder had more extensive training.
At one point, Manley said, Steigleder fell while trying to get away from Staudenmaier. "He hit an object -- I don't know if it was a wall -- and he could not go any further" before shooting the woman in the chest. Staudenmaier died in surgery.
Elaine Krause, co-president of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill's Clackamas County chapter, estimated that six years have passed since her organization last conducted crisis management training for Clackamas County sheriff's deputies.
She said representatives from the education and advocacy group talked to the incoming sheriff, Craig Roberts, about a month ago and asked to arrange more training.
Krause said she is reserving judgment on whether Steigleder could have avoided shooting Staudenmaier.
"Sure, it's easy to say they should have handled it differently, and I wish they would have. But regardless, I wasn't there," she said.
"People who are in a psychotic state, they feel trapped, perhaps very fearful, want to defend themselves, feel the whole world is after them," Krause said.
Manley said he had no information on whether Steigleder had been involved in past shootings. The Oregonian's files show that the sergeant fired twice at a car in 1996 after, he said, the driver attempted to run him down after a traffic pursuit. The driver was not injured and was later arrested without incident.
Steigleder, 41, who also supervised the sheriff's marine unit, regularly patrolled the area that included the apartment for the mentally ill. He was described as respected within the sheriff's office.
He started as a cadet in 1980 and served until 1983, when he went to the Sitka, Alaska, police department. In February 1985, he returned to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office as a deputy and was promoted to sergeant three years later.
In 1990, as a traffic team sergeant, he received a National Association of Counties Achievement Award for his work in breaking up teenage drinking parties as a way to reduce traffic deaths among young people. In 1992, he won a scholarship to take special training in juvenile crime and juvenile justice at the University of Southern California School of Public Administration.
The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office identified the officer who shot a mentally ill woman to death Friday as Sgt. Paul Steigleder II, a supervisor who started with the sheriff's office as a cadet 24 years ago.
A sheriff's spokesman said that following standard procedure, Steigleder will not be interviewed by investigators until after he meets with an attorney Tuesday.
However, witnesses told investigators that Steigleder backed up and even ran from the woman before he reached a position where he could no longer retreat as she charged at him holding a knife above her head, said Joel Manley, the sheriff's public information officer.
"He was out of options," Manley said. "Any deputy would have had no option but to shoot her."
The sheriff's major crimes unit is investigating the shooting under the supervision of the district attorney and medical examiner. Detectives have interviewed other witnesses and have canvassed the area around the Chez Ami Apartments at 8358 Causey Ave., about a half-mile north of Clackamas Town Center, to find anyone with information.
Sheriff Pat Detloff was not available for comment Sunday, Manley said.
Manley said allowing Steigleder to meet with an attorney before talking to investigators did not mean he was suspected of doing anything wrong. "The procedure would be the same for any deputy," he said. "It's automatic."
Investigators do not see a connection between Friday's events and the wounding of Sgt. Damon Coates last year. Coates was surprised when a troubled 15-year-old he was handcuffing suddenly pulled a gun and shot him.
In a lawsuit against the county, Coates, who suffers from permanent injuries, said dispatchers should have done more to make sure he knew the teen was armed and dangerous. He also contends that the deputies originally dispatched to the boy's home were not trained to respond to a situation involving a mentally ill person.
Steigleder was advised by dispatchers that Joyce M. Staudenmaier, 49, who lived with other mentally ill people in the apartment complex, was known to carry a knife at times.
The sergeant went alone to the apartment complex operated by Central City Concern to help a mental health worker restrain Staudenmaier. After receiving a briefing in the complex office, he called for a second deputy.
Before the deputy arrived, Staudenmaier, "obviously in crisis," appeared while Steigleder was talking to people in the office and came at him with a knife, Manley said.
Janice Burdick, Joyce Staudenmaier's sister, was angry about the shooting. She said Saturday that her sister, who had a 30-year history of schizophrenia, should have been dealt with by someone who had experience with the mentally ill.
Staudenmaier's family could not be reached for comment Sunday.
Manley said that from what investigators were told, Staudenmaier was immediately violent.
"This was not a situation where crisis training would apply," Manley said. He said all Clackamas County deputies undergo crisis-intervention training, and as a supervisor, Steigleder had more extensive training.
At one point, Manley said, Steigleder fell while trying to get away from Staudenmaier. "He hit an object -- I don't know if it was a wall -- and he could not go any further" before shooting the woman in the chest. Staudenmaier died in surgery.
Elaine Krause, co-president of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill's Clackamas County chapter, estimated that six years have passed since her organization last conducted crisis management training for Clackamas County sheriff's deputies.
She said representatives from the education and advocacy group talked to the incoming sheriff, Craig Roberts, about a month ago and asked to arrange more training.
Krause said she is reserving judgment on whether Steigleder could have avoided shooting Staudenmaier.
"Sure, it's easy to say they should have handled it differently, and I wish they would have. But regardless, I wasn't there," she said.
"People who are in a psychotic state, they feel trapped, perhaps very fearful, want to defend themselves, feel the whole world is after them," Krause said.
Manley said he had no information on whether Steigleder had been involved in past shootings. The Oregonian's files show that the sergeant fired twice at a car in 1996 after, he said, the driver attempted to run him down after a traffic pursuit. The driver was not injured and was later arrested without incident.
Steigleder, 41, who also supervised the sheriff's marine unit, regularly patrolled the area that included the apartment for the mentally ill. He was described as respected within the sheriff's office.
He started as a cadet in 1980 and served until 1983, when he went to the Sitka, Alaska, police department. In February 1985, he returned to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office as a deputy and was promoted to sergeant three years later.
In 1990, as a traffic team sergeant, he received a National Association of Counties Achievement Award for his work in breaking up teenage drinking parties as a way to reduce traffic deaths among young people. In 1992, he won a scholarship to take special training in juvenile crime and juvenile justice at the University of Southern California School of Public Administration.
Sunday, September 5, 2004
Family Describes Woman Shot By Sheriff As Caring, Troubled
from The Oregonian, by Angie Chuang
The last time Jacquelyn Staudenmaier saw her older sister, Joyce, a couple of weeks ago, they had lunch at Carl's Jr. Joyce insisted on paying because Jacquelyn had just bought a house. Joyce brought a housewarming present: a box containing hand lotion, a candle, cigarettes and a lottery ticket.
That day was like many Jacquelyn had spent with Joyce, who had battled schizophrenia for nearly 30 years.
"She had called me and asked if we could 'go out to lunch and do something fun,' " Jacquelyn, 44, recalled Saturday night at her Beaverton home. "At first, she was upbeat. She sounded awesome. Then, it was click, the next minute she had me wondering what I did to upset her.
"She said, 'I just want to go home and vegetate.' "
The next time Jacquelyn heard about her sister was on the 12 o'clock news Friday, after a Clackamas County sheriff's sergeant had shot and killed her. The sheriff's office said Staudenmaier, 49, lunged at him and another person with a knife. The shooting, which took place at the apartment complex where Joyce lived just north of Clackamas Town Center, is under investigation.
The sheriff's office says it will release the name of the sergeant today. The sergeant, whom sheriff's officials described as a well-respected supervisor who has been with the department for years, was placed on paid administrative leave pending the investigation.
For the past two days, Jacquelyn and her older sister, Janice Burdick, 57, who traveled from Santa Cruz, Calif., after she heard the news, have been replaying Joyce's tumultuous life in their heads. They remember her sharp intellect, her unfailing ability to send every family member a birthday card, her beautiful singing voice -- and her longtime battle with the voices inside her head.
Schizophrenia is a misunderstood illness, they say, and their sister was a misunderstood woman, right up until the end of her life.
"She was fighting demons. She did not see the world as we see it," Jacquelyn said. "It frustrated her all the time. She knew she couldn't be normal, but she wanted to be. She was very thoughtful and caring."
The Staudenmaier sisters grew up in Lake Oswego and attended Catholic schools. Their father worked for the former White Stag clothing company, and their mother was an accountant. The sisters' names all started with "J": Janice, Joyce, Joanne and Jacquelyn.
Joyce graduated from Lakeridge High School in the early '70s and went to a performing arts college in San Diego. She was an accomplished singer and dancer who had dreams of performing onstage, Jacquelyn said.
Joyce threw herself into her theater studies, working a job on the side to support herself. When she was about 21, she collapsed at work one day. Her parents went to pick her up and take her back to Lake Oswego.
That's when Joyce's battle with schizophrenia officially began. She was under psychiatric care from her mid-20s and was admitted to mental hospitals a couple of times. She never talked about it with Janice or Jacquelyn, but they knew.
On the car ride back from San Diego, Jacquelyn, who was 16 at the time, says she could talk to her sister as she always did, but she knew Joyce had changed.
"She was having conversations with herself," Jacquelyn said. "When it's just beginning, you say to yourself, 'That's interesting,' but you don't analyze what it is. Maybe you're in denial."
Later Joanne Whalen, their sister, was diagnosed with schizophrenia. She is married and lives in upstate New York.
Joyce continued trying to pursue her passion, enrolling in dance classes at Portland Community College. She injured her knee, which ended that dream. She enrolled in nursing school.
But then the illness tightened its grip, and Joyce could never hold a steady job again. Her mother, Joan, took care of her, visiting every day and supporting her. Joyce often said her mom was her best friend, Jacquelyn said.
When Joyce died, she was living at Chez Ami Apartments, a 40-unit housing complex for people with mental illnesses.
Joan died 11 years ago, and Joyce did not seem to grieve, Jacquelyn said. "She internalized everything."
The rest of her life went on, much like that last lunch Jacquelyn had with her. Often, she'd be warm and affectionate, sending gifts and cards. Other times, she wouldn't return calls for weeks.
Since Friday, Janice said she and her sister have been asking themselves what they could have done to prevent Joyce's death.
They're reluctant to talk about the actions of law enforcement officials, but they say they are angry.
"I don't think it was right. A person with experience with mental illness should have dealt with it better," Janice said. "That's all I'm going to say about it."
The last time Jacquelyn Staudenmaier saw her older sister, Joyce, a couple of weeks ago, they had lunch at Carl's Jr. Joyce insisted on paying because Jacquelyn had just bought a house. Joyce brought a housewarming present: a box containing hand lotion, a candle, cigarettes and a lottery ticket.
That day was like many Jacquelyn had spent with Joyce, who had battled schizophrenia for nearly 30 years.
"She had called me and asked if we could 'go out to lunch and do something fun,' " Jacquelyn, 44, recalled Saturday night at her Beaverton home. "At first, she was upbeat. She sounded awesome. Then, it was click, the next minute she had me wondering what I did to upset her.
"She said, 'I just want to go home and vegetate.' "
The next time Jacquelyn heard about her sister was on the 12 o'clock news Friday, after a Clackamas County sheriff's sergeant had shot and killed her. The sheriff's office said Staudenmaier, 49, lunged at him and another person with a knife. The shooting, which took place at the apartment complex where Joyce lived just north of Clackamas Town Center, is under investigation.
The sheriff's office says it will release the name of the sergeant today. The sergeant, whom sheriff's officials described as a well-respected supervisor who has been with the department for years, was placed on paid administrative leave pending the investigation.
For the past two days, Jacquelyn and her older sister, Janice Burdick, 57, who traveled from Santa Cruz, Calif., after she heard the news, have been replaying Joyce's tumultuous life in their heads. They remember her sharp intellect, her unfailing ability to send every family member a birthday card, her beautiful singing voice -- and her longtime battle with the voices inside her head.
Schizophrenia is a misunderstood illness, they say, and their sister was a misunderstood woman, right up until the end of her life.
"She was fighting demons. She did not see the world as we see it," Jacquelyn said. "It frustrated her all the time. She knew she couldn't be normal, but she wanted to be. She was very thoughtful and caring."
The Staudenmaier sisters grew up in Lake Oswego and attended Catholic schools. Their father worked for the former White Stag clothing company, and their mother was an accountant. The sisters' names all started with "J": Janice, Joyce, Joanne and Jacquelyn.
Joyce graduated from Lakeridge High School in the early '70s and went to a performing arts college in San Diego. She was an accomplished singer and dancer who had dreams of performing onstage, Jacquelyn said.
Joyce threw herself into her theater studies, working a job on the side to support herself. When she was about 21, she collapsed at work one day. Her parents went to pick her up and take her back to Lake Oswego.
That's when Joyce's battle with schizophrenia officially began. She was under psychiatric care from her mid-20s and was admitted to mental hospitals a couple of times. She never talked about it with Janice or Jacquelyn, but they knew.
On the car ride back from San Diego, Jacquelyn, who was 16 at the time, says she could talk to her sister as she always did, but she knew Joyce had changed.
"She was having conversations with herself," Jacquelyn said. "When it's just beginning, you say to yourself, 'That's interesting,' but you don't analyze what it is. Maybe you're in denial."
Later Joanne Whalen, their sister, was diagnosed with schizophrenia. She is married and lives in upstate New York.
Joyce continued trying to pursue her passion, enrolling in dance classes at Portland Community College. She injured her knee, which ended that dream. She enrolled in nursing school.
But then the illness tightened its grip, and Joyce could never hold a steady job again. Her mother, Joan, took care of her, visiting every day and supporting her. Joyce often said her mom was her best friend, Jacquelyn said.
When Joyce died, she was living at Chez Ami Apartments, a 40-unit housing complex for people with mental illnesses.
Joan died 11 years ago, and Joyce did not seem to grieve, Jacquelyn said. "She internalized everything."
The rest of her life went on, much like that last lunch Jacquelyn had with her. Often, she'd be warm and affectionate, sending gifts and cards. Other times, she wouldn't return calls for weeks.
Since Friday, Janice said she and her sister have been asking themselves what they could have done to prevent Joyce's death.
They're reluctant to talk about the actions of law enforcement officials, but they say they are angry.
"I don't think it was right. A person with experience with mental illness should have dealt with it better," Janice said. "That's all I'm going to say about it."
Saturday, September 4, 2004
Officer Kills Mentally Ill Woman
from The Oregonian, by Sarah Hunsberger and Niki Sullivan
A Clackamas County sheriff's sergeant on Friday shot and killed a mentally ill woman with a history of violent behavior after she lunged at him and another person with a knife, police said.
Joyce M. Staudenmaier, 49, died during surgery for a single gunshot wound to the chest. The sheriff's office declined to identify the sergeant who shot her, saying only that he is a well-respected supervisor who has been with the department for years. The sergeant was placed on paid administrative leave pending the investigation of the shooting.
Staudenmaier lived at Chez Ami Apartments, a 40-unit housing complex for people with mental illnesses just north of Clackamas Town Center. The building is owned and managed by Central City Concern, a Portland-based nonprofit affordable housing group.
Residents receive counseling and support from Clackamas County Mental Health Division staff, but they live independently and are free to come and go.
Deputy Joel Manley of the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office gave this account:
The shooting occurred at 10:29 a.m.
Shortly after 10 a.m., Clackamas County Mental Health Division workers called authorities for assistance with Staudenmaier, who had been deteriorating in recent days but was not in the building at the time of the call.
Mental health workers wanted to place Staudenmaier on a "mental hold," and the sergeant responding to the call was informed that Staudenmaier had a history of violent behavior and likely carried a weapon.
The sheriff's sergeant was dispatched at 10:11 a.m. A short time later, he arrived alone at the apartment building and entered the first-floor lobby. After learning more about Staudenmaier's history of violence, the sergeant called for a backup deputy.
Before the backup arrived, Staudenmaier returned to the building and entered the lobby. She pulled a knife from her purse and lunged at the sergeant. She also threatened another person who was in the lobby.
The sergeant tried to back away, but when he couldn't escape, he shot Staudenmaier once in the chest. The shooting was at 10:29 a.m., 18 minutes after the sergeant was dispatched. Staudenmaier was taken by ambulance to OHSU Hospital, where she died.
The sergeant did not use any less-lethal forms of force.
"The sergeant felt his life was threatened," sheriff's Deputy Joel Manley said.
Residents of the complex said that they heard a man yell, "Put it down. Put it down. Put it down," followed by a single gunshot.
A resident who asked not to be identified said she was awakened by the shooting and left her apartment to see Staudenmaier lying on the ground on the first floor with her head on the bottom stair.
Richard Henderson, a friend of Staudenmaier's family, described Staudenmaier as an intelligent woman who had experienced mental health problems since her early 20s and was receiving care from a psychiatrist. Henderson said he couldn't imagine that shooting was called for, even if she did have an outburst.
"I knew her well enough to know that anyone -- even if she had a knife -- could have handled her," Henderson said. "It makes me sick."
Previous incidents with officers
Before Friday's shooting, police had visited Staudenmaier's apartment at Chez Ami twice. In November 2002, she locked herself in her room and refused to take her medication. The next incident was Nov. 30, 2003, after she told people she planned to commit suicide on her birthday, the next day. When police contacted her, however, she said she didn't want to hurt herself.
Residents described Staudenmaier as behaving oddly in recent days.
More than one resident reported seeing Staudenmaier walking around the building in a bathrobe, talking to herself.
Tim and Kathy Shaw, whose 29-year-old son, Taylor, moved into the building about six months ago, said their son told them Staudenmaier rang the buzzers for all the residents' apartments Thursday morning because she had run out of cigarettes.
Kris Shaner, who has lived in the building for about a year and a half and is diagnosed with a variety of mental illnesses, said that last year that Staudenmaier started talking more openly and angrily to voices she was hearing.
"She's scary when she yells. She's a big woman," Shaner said.
In September 2000, Staudenmaier had a violent outburst at the Danielsons Fresh Marketplace in Oregon City. According to police reports, Staudenmaier was approached by an employee and accused of shoplifting. Staudenmaier hit the employee, then threatened her with a knife and was arrested, police reports said. A large kitchen knife was found in her backpack.
Staudenmaier was diverted to a special mental health court program, where she underwent mental health treatment, made monthly appearances before a judge and was monitored more carefully than with traditional probation.
Friday's request for a mental hold followed procedure. Certain mental health officials have the authority to have a person hospitalized on a mental hold if a person's illness becomes acute, said Susan Johnson, housing coordinator for the Clackamas County Mental Health Division. They are taken into custody and admitted to a psychiatric hospital, even if they refuse treatment.
The circumstances of Friday's shootings had similarities to a 2003 shooting involving Clackamas County Sheriff's Sgt. Damon Coates, who was shot in the head after responding to a report of a 15-year-old with mental problems. The teenager, Nick Teixeira, shot Coates, and then another officer shot and wounded Teixeira.
Coates, who suffered a debilitating brain injury, later sued the county, saying dispatchers should have done more to let him know that Teixeira was armed. The lawsuit also alleged that the deputies who responded to the call before Coates were not trained in how to respond to a situation involving a mentally ill person.
News researcher Margie Gultry contributed to this report.
A Clackamas County sheriff's sergeant on Friday shot and killed a mentally ill woman with a history of violent behavior after she lunged at him and another person with a knife, police said.
Joyce M. Staudenmaier, 49, died during surgery for a single gunshot wound to the chest. The sheriff's office declined to identify the sergeant who shot her, saying only that he is a well-respected supervisor who has been with the department for years. The sergeant was placed on paid administrative leave pending the investigation of the shooting.
Staudenmaier lived at Chez Ami Apartments, a 40-unit housing complex for people with mental illnesses just north of Clackamas Town Center. The building is owned and managed by Central City Concern, a Portland-based nonprofit affordable housing group.
Residents receive counseling and support from Clackamas County Mental Health Division staff, but they live independently and are free to come and go.
Deputy Joel Manley of the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office gave this account:
The shooting occurred at 10:29 a.m.
Shortly after 10 a.m., Clackamas County Mental Health Division workers called authorities for assistance with Staudenmaier, who had been deteriorating in recent days but was not in the building at the time of the call.
Mental health workers wanted to place Staudenmaier on a "mental hold," and the sergeant responding to the call was informed that Staudenmaier had a history of violent behavior and likely carried a weapon.
The sheriff's sergeant was dispatched at 10:11 a.m. A short time later, he arrived alone at the apartment building and entered the first-floor lobby. After learning more about Staudenmaier's history of violence, the sergeant called for a backup deputy.
Before the backup arrived, Staudenmaier returned to the building and entered the lobby. She pulled a knife from her purse and lunged at the sergeant. She also threatened another person who was in the lobby.
The sergeant tried to back away, but when he couldn't escape, he shot Staudenmaier once in the chest. The shooting was at 10:29 a.m., 18 minutes after the sergeant was dispatched. Staudenmaier was taken by ambulance to OHSU Hospital, where she died.
The sergeant did not use any less-lethal forms of force.
"The sergeant felt his life was threatened," sheriff's Deputy Joel Manley said.
Residents of the complex said that they heard a man yell, "Put it down. Put it down. Put it down," followed by a single gunshot.
A resident who asked not to be identified said she was awakened by the shooting and left her apartment to see Staudenmaier lying on the ground on the first floor with her head on the bottom stair.
Richard Henderson, a friend of Staudenmaier's family, described Staudenmaier as an intelligent woman who had experienced mental health problems since her early 20s and was receiving care from a psychiatrist. Henderson said he couldn't imagine that shooting was called for, even if she did have an outburst.
"I knew her well enough to know that anyone -- even if she had a knife -- could have handled her," Henderson said. "It makes me sick."
Previous incidents with officers
Before Friday's shooting, police had visited Staudenmaier's apartment at Chez Ami twice. In November 2002, she locked herself in her room and refused to take her medication. The next incident was Nov. 30, 2003, after she told people she planned to commit suicide on her birthday, the next day. When police contacted her, however, she said she didn't want to hurt herself.
Residents described Staudenmaier as behaving oddly in recent days.
More than one resident reported seeing Staudenmaier walking around the building in a bathrobe, talking to herself.
Tim and Kathy Shaw, whose 29-year-old son, Taylor, moved into the building about six months ago, said their son told them Staudenmaier rang the buzzers for all the residents' apartments Thursday morning because she had run out of cigarettes.
Kris Shaner, who has lived in the building for about a year and a half and is diagnosed with a variety of mental illnesses, said that last year that Staudenmaier started talking more openly and angrily to voices she was hearing.
"She's scary when she yells. She's a big woman," Shaner said.
In September 2000, Staudenmaier had a violent outburst at the Danielsons Fresh Marketplace in Oregon City. According to police reports, Staudenmaier was approached by an employee and accused of shoplifting. Staudenmaier hit the employee, then threatened her with a knife and was arrested, police reports said. A large kitchen knife was found in her backpack.
Staudenmaier was diverted to a special mental health court program, where she underwent mental health treatment, made monthly appearances before a judge and was monitored more carefully than with traditional probation.
Friday's request for a mental hold followed procedure. Certain mental health officials have the authority to have a person hospitalized on a mental hold if a person's illness becomes acute, said Susan Johnson, housing coordinator for the Clackamas County Mental Health Division. They are taken into custody and admitted to a psychiatric hospital, even if they refuse treatment.
The circumstances of Friday's shootings had similarities to a 2003 shooting involving Clackamas County Sheriff's Sgt. Damon Coates, who was shot in the head after responding to a report of a 15-year-old with mental problems. The teenager, Nick Teixeira, shot Coates, and then another officer shot and wounded Teixeira.
Coates, who suffered a debilitating brain injury, later sued the county, saying dispatchers should have done more to let him know that Teixeira was armed. The lawsuit also alleged that the deputies who responded to the call before Coates were not trained in how to respond to a situation involving a mentally ill person.
News researcher Margie Gultry contributed to this report.
Friday, September 3, 2004
Woman dies after being shot by Clackamas sergeant, police say
from KGW.com Joyce Staudenmaier, 36, was shot once in the chest when it appeared she was about to stab another resident, a sheriff’s spokesman said.
Staudenmaier was alive when she was transported to Oregon Health & Science University Hospital. But she died later Friday afternoon.
Sgt. Paul Steigleder II, who has about 20 years experience with the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, is on paid administrative leave following the shooting, said Deputy Joel Manley.
Steigleder is a 41-year-old supervisor who is "well respected by his supervisors, peers, subordinates and by the community he serves," Manley said.
The scene of the shooting at Chez Ami housing project in Clackamas County.The sergeant was summoned to the Chez Ami housing complex on 8358 SE Causey St. in Clackamas County to help mental health staff take Staudenmire into custody for an evaluation about 10 a.m. on Friday, according to Manley.
Authorities were called to Chez Ami because Staudenmaier was known to carry a weapon in her purse, Manley said. When Steigleder arrived at Chez Ami, Staudenmaier wasn’t home.
At some point, Staudenmaier came back to the building where she lived and began threatening about five residents in the lobby with a knife. The sergeant saw Staudenmaier and went into the lobby.
Staudenmaier saw the sergeant and began walking towards him with the knife raised, Manley said. But between she and the sergeant was another resident.
“She was holding the knife above her head” and looked as if she was going to stab the resident, Manley said. That’s when the sergeant made the decision to fire one shot from his service pistol, he said.
Witnesses also said Staudenmaier was so close to the sergeant that they thought that he was stabbed.
The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the officer-involved shooting.
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