Eugene, Ore. – Eugene Police Department has been staffing officers on the weekend nights in the Broadway/Olive area (Barmuda Triangle) to help minimize injury and damage. Over the past few weeks there has been an escalation in the fights and disorderly behavior in the downtown area and the extra staffing, on overtime, has helped minimize injuries and property damage.
In years past the presence of officers or saturated patrols prevented the fights from breaking out. In the past two weeks, officers have reported multiple fights have been breaking out even with multiple EPD vehicles parked in the street with overhead lights on. The crowd has become more aggressive with officers as well. Officers have remained focus on their duties, their safety, and the safety of people in the area.
This weekend, even with the additional resources EPD pulled officers from regular patrol to assist in the downtown focus, and at one point required response to only priority calls for service, due to downtown activity and emergency calls.
Multiple arrests were made the night of March 5 and into the early morning of March 6. There were no injuries to officers or the general public. However there have been injuries associated with the fights that have broken out between people in the area.
One fight occurred on March 6 at 1:39 a.m. at Broadway Avenue and Olive Street. An officer was standing next to his patrol vehicle monitoring people as they left the bars. There was loud music, people yelling and several hundred people standing on the sidewalk and spilling into the streets. The officer saw a woman, later identified as Leilani Amaya Launakama Kapihe, age 21, of Eugene, chase another woman and take her to the ground.
The victim’s head hit the ground hard. Officers responded and two other men who were present nearby tried to intervene when officers went to arrest Kapihe, who was trying to pull away. Kaiphe was guided to the ground without injury and detained. A female bystander approached the officer yelling and angry about her friend being taken into custody during this as well. The victim, age 44, had a head injury and was bleeding and she was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Kapihe was transported to the Lane County Jail for Assault and Disorderly Conduct. Case 2203712
Other officers were responding in the area to a fight at the intersection of Broadway Avenue and Olive Street. An officer was trying to separate two men, who were pushing, shoving and yelling at each other. Officers were advised that one of the men, later identified as Gunner Lynn Aguirre, age 24, of Eugene, had been observed engaged in fighting and violent behavior at various locations. Two officers took Aguirre into custody. Aguirre was uncooperative, tensing up and yelling at officers.
When Aguirre was placed in the patrol vehicle, he kicked the divider. He was transported to Lane County Jail on a charge of Disorderly Conduct. The other male, Augustin Solis, age 25, of Eugene, was contacted and arrested as well. During Aguirre’s arrest, Solis held on to Aguirre and interfered with officers trying to take Solis into custody. Solis refused commands from officers and resisted being handcuffed. He was taken into custody without further incident. He was arrested for Interfering and Resisting Arrest and taken to Lane County Jail. Case 22-03713
(Information directly from EPD)
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