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Officer who was filmed punching a protester on January 9 was previously named in a lawsuit stemming from a 2020 protest. Another officer was reassigned after recent remarks made on camera triggered complaints and internal review. by Courtney Vaughn A Portland Police officer who was filmed punching a protester earlier this month during an anti-ICE protest was also named in a lawsuit years earlier by a different protester who was injured by police. Records obtained by the Mercury indicate Tyler Brunelle was the officer recorded using force on a protester who was already on the ground, being restrained by police. The incident occurred January 9, one day after two people were shot and injured by a Border Patrol agent in East Portland, triggering heightened protests against federal forces stationed at Portland’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility. Video shows the officer was working with Portland Police Bureau's (PPB) bicycle patrol squad that night. The video was captured by Kevin Foster, a local independent journalist who has contributed work to the Mercury. Following the incident, PPB said the officer’s use of force would undergo an internal review to determine whether it was within policy. As of Thursday, January 22, the Bureau noted Tyler Brunelle is “active with no changes to his duty status.” A state law enforcement database shows he was hired by PPB in 2017. Officer has clashed with protesters before Tyler Brunelle was one of four officers named in a lawsuit filed by Dexter Pearce in 2022. Pearce alleged that PPB officers shot him with an impact munition as he walked away from them during a protest on July 4, 2020. At the time, Portland was experiencing prolonged protests following the murder of George Floyd. “Sometime between 11:45 p.m. and 12:10 a.m., while [Pearce] was walking away, a PPB officer shot him in the back of his calf with an impact munition,” the complaint states, noting Pearce didn’t see which officer fired at him because he had his back turned to them. Pearce’s lawsuit alleged that he was shot at by officers “in retaliation for protesting the police,” noting the officer never attempted to detain or arrest Pearce for any criminal activity, indicating no justification for the use of force. The city eventually settled with Pearce. The day after Tyler Brunelle was recorded punching a protester, another officer who shares the same last name was recorded justifying the shooting death of Renée Good in Minnesota by ICE agents. Brandon Brunelle, a PPB officer assigned to the Bureau’s bike squad, was policing an anti-ICE protest on January 10 when a protester engaged him in conversation. “Sometimes criminals get shot,” the officer told an anti-ICE protester, referring to Good, the 37-year-old mother fatally shot by ICE as she tried to drive away. “It happens.” Officer Brandon Brunelle’s comments enraged the protester, whose video caught the attention of local city councilors and the police chief. The officer’s remarks triggered a complaint and led Portland Police Chief Bob Day to issue a statement in response to the widely circulated video. “PPB has been made aware of a video circulating online of an officer’s interaction with community members at a recent protest event,” Day said in a January 11 statement provided to the Mercury. “The complaint is under review and during that review this officer has been assigned to other duties.” Day said tensions were high following the recent events with ICE and Border Patrol agents, and said his agency’s goal is “to ensure that community trust is maintained and that members of the Bureau consistently represent the professional standards that everyone deserves…” Brandon Brunelle, who joined the Bureau in 2022, was reassigned shortly after the video circulated. PPB confirmed that he was pulled from protest monitoring duties and assigned to work “outside of front-line public order work while the incident is reviewed.” It’s unclear whether Tyler and Brandon Brunelle…

See how well you score on this week's super fun and sassy local trivia quiz! by Wm. Steven Humphrey GREETINGS, BRAINY PANTS! It's time once again to put your brainy-brain to the test with this week's edition of POP QUIZ PDX—our weekly, local, sassy-ass trivia quiz. And this week, since I'm going on a well-deserved vacation, I've gathered together some of the BEST past Pop Quiz questions to see how much YOU know about a) Portland, b) Oregon, and c) disposing of a dead body. (You can't call yourself a "true Portlander" if you haven't composted at least one person. 💀) But first! How did you do on our last quiz? Simply smashing, darling! And I love that, in our New Year's resolution-themed "subjective question," you had trouble deciding whether to destroy billionaires, slap fascists, or take a nap. SAME, friends. SAME. Anywaaaaaay... READY TO START? Take this week's quiz below, take our previous pop quizzes here, and come back next week for a brand spankin' new quiz! (Having a tough time answering this quiz? It's probably because you aren't getting Mercury newsletters! HINT! HINT!) Now crank up that cerebellum, because it's time to get BRAINY! Create your own user feedback survey Did you enjoy that? Take our past Pop Quizzes HERE!

AI has taken center stage in financial services, automating the research and execution behind algorithmic trading and helping banks more accurately detect fraud and money laundering — all while improving risk management practices and expediting document processing. The sixth annual “NVIDIA State of AI in Financial Services” report, based on a survey of more than Read Article

When Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis were traded for each other in the most shocking and controversial deal in NBA history, there was (understandably) little focus on the others included in the six-player, three-team deal. Sure, fan favorite Maxi Kleber and salary filler Markieff Morris were headed to Los Angeles, but Mavericks fans had other things on their mind. Along with the oft-injured and past-his-prime Davis, Dallas netted just one first-round pick for Doncic’s services. Apart from that, the only other asset Dallas received for the most talented player in franchise history was a young flyer, a throw-in guard named Max Christie. Many in Dallas couldn’t have picked him out of a lineup. Since that fateful night almost a year ago, Christie has done everything in his power to endear himself to the beleaguered Maverick faithful. Unlike Davis, he’s played in nearly every game for Dallas. Christie got to work right away after arriving, scoring 15 points or more in each of his first six games post-trade. Though he cooled down to end the season, there were plenty of flashes to indicate that he could be an intriguing piece for the future. This season, Max Christie is in the midst of a meaningful leap. On a Mavericks team woefully devoid of 3-point shooting, he’s been a godsend. Christie is shooting 45.9% from deep on 5.5 attempts per game. That percentage is sixth in the NBA and first among players with at least 200 3-point attempts. He’s been a spot-up marksman, shooting 47.7% on 172 total attempts (per Synergy Sports). And Christie has even mixed in 47 pull-up threes, hitting a perfectly respectable 38.3% on those. Coach Jason Kidd praised Christie’s growth while encouraging him to shoot even more, a great vote of confidence for a player who’s become essential to the Mavericks’ success. Christie has established himself as one of the premier shooters in the league, and that alone, coupled with his 22-year-old youth, would make him a player worth hanging onto. But Christie has taken big steps in other areas of his game, too. When you shoot the ball like Christie has this season, you become a fixture on opposing teams’ scouting reports. Defenses see Christie’s three-point percentage and want to run him off the line and force him to put the ball on the floor. And to his credit, Christie has responded well to this. Attacking closeouts is an essential counter for great shooters, and Christie looks comfortable doing so. The pull-up middy has been a weapon for him in these situations, as Christie is shooting a sparkling 52% on pull-up two-pointers this year. When he’s not finding the midrange, he’s attacking the basket and putting more pressure on the defense. And, most importantly, there have been signs that indicate growth for Christie beyond great shooting. Among all NBA players with at least 50 possessions as a pick-and-roll ball handler, Christie ranks first in both points per possession (1.23, per NBA.com) and effective field goal percentage (65.1%). Though Christie barely meets this arbitrary threshold with 53 possessions, and it’s an admittedly small sample size (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the league with 354 such possessions), it’s still impressive. Since December 1st, Christie has taken the pick-and-roll creation to a new level, averaging 1.50 PPP on 18-28 shooting from the field (75% eFG, per Synergy). For a guy who doesn’t have the ball in his hands a lot, he’s made the most of his opportunities in creating for himself. Where Christie really thrives is in transition. Among all players with at least 80 transition possessions, Christie ranks first in PPP (1.52, per NBA.com) and second in eFG% (78.5%). Christie sprints down the floor off misses, turnovers, and even makes, constantly looking for the ball and making good decisions when he gets it. He leverages his above-average athleticism to beat defenders down the court and finish at the rim. Watching Christie and Flagg run the break together has been a joy, and their…