Portland Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Assaulting Peacekeeper

Gage Halupowski assaulted a man during the June 29, 2019 mass demonstration in downtown Portland.

Gage Halupowski will serve over five years for his violent and disturbing behavior during the June 2019 demonstration in Portland, Oregon. Photo: MCSD

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced that 24-year-old Gage Halupowski received a 70 month prison sentence on Friday November 1, 2019 after he pleaded guilty to assaulting a man in downtown Portland during a mass demonstration on June 29, 2019.

By changing his plea to one count of assault in the second degree, Halupowski admitted that he unlawfully, intentionally and knowingly caused physical injury to another person by using a dangerous weapon.

During the mass demonstration, law enforcement witnessed a disturbance that involved a person being chased by a group of individuals in the 500 block of Southwest Morrison Street in Portland, Oregon. Many of the people chasing the victim had their faces either partially or fully concealed.

Somehow, the person being chased ended up on the ground and was repeatedly kicked, punched and hit with expandable metal batons. During the disturbance a person, later identified as Adam Kelly, entered the crowd and attempted to serve as a peacekeeper.

“This was an extremely chaotic and rapidly unfolding situation,” said Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Melissa Marrero, who litigated this case. “Pepper spray and other weapons were used throughout this violent clash.”

When Mr. Kelly began moving away from the large and unpredictable crowd, law enforcement witnessed a person, later identified as Halupowski, run up behind Mr. Kelly and strike him on top of the head with an expandable metal baton. This was a powerful strike to the head.

“The sound of the blow was sickening and caused people who heard and saw it to gasp,” DDA Marrero said. “The intentionality of Mr. Halupowski was extremely egregious and the injuries to Mr. Kelly could have been much worse.”

After the assault, law enforcement maintained constant eyesight of Halupowski. Police watched as he collapsed his baton on the ground and concealed it in his pants. He was taken into custody near the intersection of Southwest 3rd Avenue and Southwest Washington Street.

The Multnomah County District Attorney's Office continues to work with law enforcement to identify and investigate any criminal conduct that occurred during past mass demonstrations. This conduct includes assaults that have been recorded and posted online.

The Multnomah County District Attorney's Office encourages anyone with information on the identity of any person observed in criminal behavior during a mass demonstration to contact Portland Police so these cases can be investigated and then sent to the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution consideration.

Tips should be directed to the Portland Police Bureau's Detective Division at (503) 823-0400 or submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers of Oregon by calling 503.823.HELP (4357)

In general, the statute of limitation for most felony crimes committed during a mass demonstration is typically three years. Similarly, for most misdemeanor crimes committed during a mass demonstration, the statute of limitation is typically two years.

Source: Multnomah County District Attorney

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