PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland’s Hawthorne Bridge experienced an extended shutdown on Thursday, February 20, after a man, Rashawn L. Anderson, 44, climbed into the bridge structure and refused to cooperate with police, who attempted to get him to safety.
The man was subsequently attested and is facing relatively minor charges.
Hawthorne Bridge Closed Overnight After Man Refuses To Climb Down
Portland Police officers from Central Precinct responding to a report received on Thursday at 4:20 p.m., indicating someone was climbing one of the towers of the Hawthorne Bridge, found a man up on one of the bridge catwalks.
The bridge was closed to traffic as the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) dispatched specially trained crisis communication volunteer officers assigned to the Enhanced Crisis Response Team (ECIT) over concerns for the man’s mental health. Multnomah County brought in signage to prevent traffic from accessing the bridge…