PORTLAND, Ore. — A Portland cannabis store employee has been found not guilty on all counts Friday, including multiple murder charges, stemming from a 2024 shooting that left two suspected robbers dead. 

Jason Steiner, 35, was accused of shooting and killingtwo people who attempted to rob the La Mota cannabis store in North Portland on Oct. 3, 2024.

According to investigators, Steiner was the only employee working at the La Mota shop that night. Surveillance video captured three masked men entering the store and holding him at gunpoint. The suspects forced Steiner out the front door while they appeared to take products from the store.

The video shows Steiner walking around the corner and retrieving a semi-automatic handgun from his bag before returning and firing 13 shots through a window of the building. He then ran across the street and called 911.

“I’m at the La Mota across the street, I had three people try to rob me. I shot 3 of them,” Steiner said in the call.

Court documents state that Steiner later told police he opened fire because he feared the suspects would “hunt him down.”

“A large man who could not get away from the three individuals if they decided to come after him,” Steiner told police after they asked why he didn’t just leave. He said that his car keys were inside the building and he was afraid they would get his car and “hunt him down.”

Two of the alleged robbers — 20-year-old Tahir Burley and 18-year-old King Lawrence — were pronounced dead at the scene.

Internal video showed none of the people in the store had guns in their hands at the time. The footage showed Lawrence and Burley being hit; the third person ducked, briefly hid and then ran out of the store. None of the three people appeared to fire back at Steiner, although Burley did draw his own gun before he stopped moving, according to court documents. 

Steiner was arrested days later after turning himself in and charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. Steiner pleaded not guilty to all charges.

In the trial’s opening arguments on Oct. 1, prosecutors told jurors the shooting was not justified. While, Steiner’s attorney, Ted Occhialino, argued his client acted in lawful self-defense.

Steiner had been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, three counts of unlawful use of a weapon and attempt to commit any degree of murder of aggravated murder.