Mayor backs fed probe of Ore. police in shooting

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PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Portland Mayor Sam Adams joined black leaders Friday to support a federal civil rights investigation into the shooting death of a black man by a white police officer.

Adams told a news conference that he understands many black residents of Portland fear police and it was a problem long before the Jan. 29 shooting death of Aaron Campbell.

The 25-year-old Campbell was shot in the back with a rifle by a white officer who was cleared by a Multnomah County grand jury — even though the grand jury was highly critical of police and wrote a letter to the district attorney to complain.

Black leaders said they want the federal civil rights investigation to extend beyond the Campbell shooting to what they say is a pattern of inequality in the city.