PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Jason Steiner, the man accused of murdering two people during a botched dispensary robbery in October 2024, is set to appear in court for opening statements on Wednesday.

On Oct. 3, 2024, Steiner was working at the La Mota dispensary in the St. Johns neighborhood when he claimed that three people pointed guns at him as he left the back room.

According to court documents, Steiner told the people they could “take the store” before he grabbed his bag, which contained a handgun, from the back room and left.

As he was leaving, Steiner said he heard one of the robbery suspects ask, “What does he have on him?” and — believing they were talking about him — Steiner loaded the handgun and waited for the suspects to leave the store.

When no one left the building, Steiner said he went around to the store’s drive-up window, where surveillance video showed he opened fire on the robbery suspects.

In the video, the robbery suspects were unarmed when Steiner opened fire.

The robbery suspects, King H. Lawrence and Tahir D. Burley, were both hit and killed, and the third suspect managed to get out the front door and flee.

After running out of rounds, court documents said that Steiner called 911 and waited for officers to arrive.

When questioned by police, Steiner was asked why he didn’t just leave instead of firing on the robbery suspects, and he claimed he “is a large man who could not get away” if they came after him.

Steiner is facing two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of unlawful use of a weapon.

Stay with KOIN 6 as we continue to follow this story.

Andrew Foran

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