A Marion County grand jury has found that the use of deadly force by five Salem police officers was justified.
It happened the morning of Jan. 23 around 9 a.m. when a 911 caller reported an armed carjacking in the Walmart parking lot on Commercial Street SE.
Police said 27-year-old Michael James Compton then went north to the Planet Fitness where he attempted to steal another car and then moved to a NAPA Auto Parts store.
Police said when they confronted Compton in the parking lot, he started firing at officers, and it evolved into an exchange of fire with police.
The Marion County DA said the gunfight lasted about 50 seconds.
During that time, they said Compton pointed his gun at police at least three different times, firing a total of nine rounds.
Officers fired a total of 68 rounds at Compton, hitting him 18 times.
Compton died at the scene.
The gunfight happened within sight of several children who were inside a school bus that had stopped at Barnes Avenue SE and Commercial Street SE, next to the NAPA Auto Parts parking lot where Compton died.
No students were injured, and the bus was not hit.