Lawsuit Filed Over Fatal Portland Police Shooting
The family of a man killed by an officer in 2024 has sued the city of Portland for damages.
Updated on Oct. 4, 2026 in Law Enforcement
Phillip Thorn has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Portland and former officer Andrew Young. The suit stems from the 2024 shooting death of 28-year-old Nicholas Thorn at the Pacific Crest Apartments.
Why it matters
The lawsuit alleges that law enforcement failed to de-escalate the encounter and neglected to wait for specialized crisis response teams during the standoff. This filing challenges the official handling of the incident despite a grand jury previously clearing the officer of criminal wrongdoing.
A grand jury previously cleared Andrew Young of criminal charges in the 2024 shooting. The wrongful death lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for Oregon on Oct. 2, 2026.
The players
Andrew Young
He is a former officer who served the Portland Police Bureau for seven years before resigning in 2025.
Phillip Thorn
He is the plaintiff who initiated legal action against the city of Portland and Andrew Young.
Nicholas Thorn
He was a 28-year-old man who died following an encounter with police at an apartment complex.
Portland Police Bureau
This is the primary law enforcement agency responsible for the oversight of officers during the 2024 incident.
The details
Officers responded to a report of yelling at the apartment complex and initiated a 35-minute standoff. The encounter ended when Andrew Young fired his weapon at Nicholas Thorn after Thorn pointed a pellet gun at officers.
Timeline
Oct. 4, 2024: Nicholas Thorn died in the police shooting.
2025: Officer Andrew Young resigned from the Portland Police Bureau.
Oct. 2, 2026: The wrongful death lawsuit was filed in federal court.
Legal Context
This lawsuit follows a trend of civil actions filed in Oregon courts against municipalities after grand juries decline to indict officers in fatal shootings. It seeks to revisit questions of police procedure and crisis management that were not resolved by the initial criminal investigation.
The lawsuit brings renewed scrutiny to police training and the use of crisis response teams in Portland neighborhoods. Residents may monitor upcoming court filings to see if the case results in changes to how local officers manage standoff situations involving potential mental health crises.
The takeaway
This case highlights the ongoing tension between criminal legal outcomes and civil liability in police-involved deaths. Families often use federal litigation to seek information and accountability when grand juries provide limited public disclosure.
Further reading
For more information on local policy, see the Law Enforcement section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Oregon Live.
