A Multnomah County grand jury has concluded police officers acted within the bounds of state criminal law when they opened fire on a man in the Portland Adventist Medical Center parking lot last month.

This is the statement released by the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office:

March 6, 2013

Today the Multnomah County grand jury returned a not true bill in the death of Merle Mikal Hatch on February 17, 2013. Mr. Hatch was fatally shot by police on the property of Portland Adventist Medical Center located at 10300 SE Main Street in Portland. The grand jury determined that the shooting by members of the Portland Police Bureau was justified under the criminal law.

Transcripts of the testimony before the grand jury should be completed by late next week. A motion to publicly disclose the transcripts will be presented to the court. If the motion is granted, notification will be sent out and the transcripts will be posted on the public Multnomah County District Attorney’s website.

Three officers are on paid administrative leave as the investigation continues. They shot at Merle Hatch when he refused to follow police orders to stop advancing toward them. They later learned he was wanted on a federal warrant related to two bank robberies and had a long list of criminal convictions and arrests.