Portland businessman allegedly murders man in broad daylight and then shoots tourist who recorded it

There's no question that violent crime has desecrated the city of Portland; however, a shocking road rage incident that resulted in the murder of a driver and the shooting of a tourist has left the community stunned.

Geoffrey E. Hammond, 46, a wealthy Portland businessman, is accused of murdering a driver and shooting a tourist during a road rage incident in broad daylight in downtown Portland on Wednesday afternoon.

Hammond has been charged with second-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, and fourth-degree assault for the killing of Ryan Martin, 47, and the shooting of a tourist from Phoenix, Samuel Gomez, 48, according to police.

The Oregonian reported that Martin exited his vehicle to confront Hammond during a road rage incident after the pair exchanged middle fingers. Hammond allegedly shot and killed Martin when the unarmed victim approached his vehicle and tapped on his window, leaving Martin's body lifeless on the sidewalk after he was shot in the chest.

A chilling photo taken by the second victim, Samuel Gomez, captured the moment Hammond pointed his gun at him after he had allegedly just shot and killed Martin, in which he found himself staring down the barrel of the gun within moments before being shot.


 

"He got the gun loaded and he just straight looked at me and then, as you can see in the picture, just popped me," Gomez told the outlet, who suffered a bullet wound to the leg which broke both femurs after it had passed through to the other leg.

"Everything just changed," Gomez said, who is recovering in the hospital. "I'm just grateful that I'm alive because it could have been worse."

Gomez was in Portland to speak at the annual conference of the National Organization of Minority Architects, and ironically enough, the conference had issued a memo to attendees to avoid walking around Portland over safety concerns due to the increase in violent crime, the outlet reported.


Victim Samuel Gomez

According to court records, Hammond is a criminal who has been convicted on charges of assault, vandalism, trespassing, and domestic battery. Documents show that Hammond recently changed his legal name from Jeffrey Edward Mandalis, Daily Mail reports.

Hammond reportedly admitted to the shootings, according to police, and drove himself to the Multnomah county courthouse to turn himself in.

Witnesses told police that Hammond had flashed some kind of badge "as if he were a policeman," and said to one of the victims, "You are lucky I didn't shoot you in the head."

According to the affidavit, Hammond said "He believed he was justified in doing so because Ryan Martin menaced him and because Sam Gomez might have had a weapon."

Due to the closure of his financing company and over $34,000 in credit card debt, Hammond filed for bankruptcy in May 2023. 

Court records reveal that Hammond owns four weapons, a 2020 Mercedes SUV, and a $890,000 property in Portland's West Hills. 

Portland is well-known for being a murder hotspot, with 101 homicides recorded at an all-time high in 2022.