Tayler Osborne
Date: 4/11/2022 Location: Salem, OR FACTORS (1,2,3,8,12,14,15,19)
Name: Tayler Shannon Osborne
Criminal History/Involved: Yes, since 2018 Osborne had several prior arrests for DWI and violating a restraining order. / Yes, Osborne was in the company of two individuals who had just stolen a car.
Mental Illness: Unknown.
Substance Abuse History/Involved: Yes, Osborne has a prior DWI arrest. / Yes, meth and possibly fentanyl laced pills were found in Osborne’s car and Osborne was smoking meth before the officers arrived.
Race/Sex/Age: White/Male/28
Officer(s) involved: Salem Police Officer Susan Slivkoff and Corporal Joshua Buker
What prompted the initial contact with police? At around 8:30 p.m. on April 11, 2022, Salem police officers responded to a 911 call of a stolen vehicle located in a parking lot with the two car thieves nearby in a blue GMC Yukon. Upon arrival Police Officer Susan Slivkoff and Corporal Joshua Baker confronted the two men in the Yukon along with the vehicle’s owner and third occupant, Tayler Osborne. The officers observed drugs and weapons in the Yukon.
Actions taken by subject towards police: The three men complied with the officers and exited the vehicle, whereupon one of the car thieves informed the officers that Osborne was dealing drugs out of the Yukon and was armed. After issuing the car thieves a citation, the officers released them and put Osborne in the backseat of the police car with his hands cuffed behind his back. When PO Slivkoff saw Osborne had slipped his cuffs to the front she removed him from the patrol car so she could again handcuff him behind his back. When Osborne’s left hand was freed from the handcuff, he took off running toward his Yukon. PO Slivkoff held onto Osborne’s still cuffed right wrist and Corporal Buker ran over to assist her. Osborne punched Cpl. Buker in the face and tried to take his gun from his duty belt. Unable to get the officer’s gun, Osborne grabbed Cpl. Buker’s Taser and activated it twice, shocking both officers.
Reactions by the police: Having been punched, Tased twice and fearful Osborne would eventually incapacitate one of the officers and take their guns to use on them, Cpl. Buker used his duty weapon to shoot Osborne twice, killing him.
Outcome of investigation into the fatal police incident: The Oregon State Police concluded its investigation and a grand jury unanimously agreed it was a justified shooting.
What could the subject have done that day to still be alive today? Osborne could still be alive if he: did not associate with car thieves; did not have illegal drugs and weapons in his vehicle; complied with the police; did not try to escape; did not punch the officer; did not try to disarm the officer; did not cause the officers to be shocked by the Taser.
Justified Use of Deadly Force? YES, Cpl. Buker reasonably feared Osborne was going to incapacitate either PO Slivkoff or himself, take their duty weapon and use it against them.
