Updated: 12:35 PM PST January 4, 2021
PORTLAND, Ore. — A man who escaped Portland police custody on Saturday got out of a holding room after a cleaning crew mistakenly did not shut and latch the door, police said.
David Dahlen, 24, was in a holding room at the Justice Center in downtown Portland and waiting to be interviewed by detectives when he escaped.
Police said two members of a contracted cleaning crew were doing COVID-19 disinfecting in the detective division and opened the door to the holding room, then closed it again after they realized Dahlen was in the room.
Investigators believe that the door did not fully latch after it was closed. Dahlen pushed the door from the inside and got out, police said. From there, Dahlen made his way to a stairwell, which was unlocked for fire safety, and got out of the building.