An investigation into an October 3, 2024 armed robbery and shooting at La Mota cannabis dispensary at 9440 N. St. Louis Ave. in St. Johns revealed that store manager, Jason Steiner, 34, shot and killed two of the three robbers after fleeing the shop. The deceased were identified as King H. Lawrence, 18, and Tahir D. Burley, 20, both of Milwaukie. The third robber, Jalen Hudson, 20, of Portland, escaped.
On October 9, 2024, Steiner turned himself in to detectives and was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of Murder in the Second Degree and Unlawful Use of a Weapon.
Steiner’s trial in October, 2025, divulged that as the three robbers entered the shop and held their guns on him, Steiner moved toward the door telling them to “take the store.” As he exited he picked up a drawstring bag that contained a gun. Steiner then walked away from the shop, but doubled back and went to the store’s drive up window and began firing the gun through the window at the robbers. He fired more than a dozen shots killing two robbers according to the police report. The third robber was not struck and fled the scene.
The state contended that Steiner did not act in self-defense because he had the option to leave the area once he exited the store and was “free and clear of any danger.” He was charged on six counts, two counts of Murder in the First Degree, one count of Attempted Murder in the First Degree and three counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon.
In his defense, Steiner stated that he fired “because he saw one of [the robbers] crouched down, facing him, with a gun in his hand, in a low ready, pointing in his direction” and “thought he was going to die.”
Before the jury deliberated, the judge instructed them to “consider whether the Steiner had the ability to avoid the encounter as a factor in determining whether his actions were reasonable under the totality of the circumstances.”
Final arguments were heard on Oct 8, 2025. On Oct. 11, it was announced that the jury had a verdict. They found Steiner not guilty of all six charges against him.
(State trial exhibit)
(State trial exhibit)
