Rusty Shane Sturgill Charged After Dog Attack and Assault in Portland

Rusty Shane Sturgill faces felony charges following North Portland assault and dog attack

A man with a long history of criminal convictions was arrested in early November after allegedly attacking a neighbor and using a dog to bite him following a dispute over barking animals, according to court documents obtained by KATU.

The incident, which took place in the 4000 block of North Colonial Avenue in North Portland, began on July 17. A man reported that he was attempting to go to bed around 9 p.m. when he heard two dogs barking outside his residence for several hours. When he stepped outside to ask the owners to quiet the animals, the situation escalated into a violent confrontation. Prosecutors allege that the dogs, which were off-leash, ran toward the man and attacked him, while the suspect also reportedly struck him repeatedly in the head with a metal water bottle.

The violence extended to a bystander as well. A witness told police that a man and a woman were both punching and kicking the victim. When the witness attempted to intervene and help the man, the suspect allegedly used pepper spray on her face.

While police contacted the suspect, identified as 39-year-old Rusty Shane Sturgill, on the day of the initial report, he was not immediately arrested. Court documents indicate this delay was due to a lack of a complete transcription of the original incident report. It wasn’t until November 2, when an officer on patrol encountered him in Dawson Park, that Sturgill was taken into custody following reinterviews with both the victim and the witness.

Criminal history and current legal standing

Sturgill now faces several serious charges following his arrest. He was arraigned on Tuesday for second-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon, and the unlawful use of a stun gun, tear gas, or mace. He remains in the Multnomah County Jail, where he is also being held on warrants and a parole violation related to other cases.

The legal documents reveal a pattern of behavior stretching back nearly two decades. Sturgill’s record includes several convictions for offenses involving harassment and theft in both Multnomah and Clatsop counties. His prior convictions include:

Unlawful possession of methamphetamine (Multnomah County, 2020)
Aggravated harassment (Clatsop County, 2020)
Aggravated harassment (Multnomah County, 2015)
First-degree burglary (Multnomah County, 2008)

While the investigation has progressed against Sturgill, the legal status of the woman involved in the assault remains an open question. It is currently unclear if she will face formal charges for her alleged role in the attack.

The delay between the July incident and the November arrest highlights the complexities of processing neighborhood disputes that escalate into violent felonies.

For now, Sturgill remains in custody as the judicial process moves forward on his new charges and existing parole violations.

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