Ardeshir Tabrizian
Ardeshir Tabrizian has covered the justice system and public safety for Salem Reporter since September 2021. As an Oregon native, his award-winning watchdog journalism has traversed the state. He has done reporting for The Oregonian, Eugene Weekly and Malheur Enterprise.
State hospital worker who punched patient gets break from state judge
A mental health worker pleaded no contest in February to assaulting a patient at the Oregon State Hospital who he said attacked him. Judge Audrey Broyles dropped his charges anyway, citing dangerous conditions at the hospital. She told Salem Reporter the man committed no crime.
3 accused of egging unsheltered people in downtown Salem
The Salem Police Department has cited three people for bias and disorderly conduct after reports that unsheltered people had been hit with eggs three nights in a row last week. Police found over 225 eggs in the suspects’ car. Homeless service providers said their clients are still struggling to process it.
State Little League champions from South Salem, Sprague advance to regionals
A merger of the South Salem and Sprague Little League teams won the state title last Sunday. Now competing in a regional tournament in Arizona, the middle schoolers have their sights set on the Little League World Series.
Salem officials step away from leading community violence reduction work
After more than a year of discussions about a collective effort to reduce violence in Salem, city officials pulled the plug on a coordinator job they were unable to fill. Now, it’s up to community organizations to lead the work.
Mystery surrounds March death in Marion County Jail as investigation continues
The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office as of Tuesday was still conducting an outside investigation into the March 25 death of Adam Mansour, 40, in the Marion County Jail.
New Salem police system makes reporting crimes, tracking data easier
People can now report non-emergency crimes without a suspect to the Salem Police Department online. The new technology took six months of work and cost $21,000.
Boy, 17, arrested in June 30 gunfight at south Salem McDonald’s
A 17-year-old boy was arrested Friday and accused of firing gunshots during a shootout two weeks ago at a McDonald’s on Southeast Commercial Street.
As businesses call for fixes to clean up downtown, some say the problem is more complex
In the wake of a mass stabbing at Salem’s largest homeless shelter, discussions over public safety downtown have transformed into complaints about the visible impacts of unsheltered homelessness and mental illness.
Wildland crew putting out lasting burns from Turner Fire ‘by hand’
A crew of wildland firefighters are walking through 30 acres of former prison farmland with hand tools and chainsaws, searching for any brush still burning without a flame from a fast-moving fire that started Wednesday afternoon.
Salem man charged with killing teen in crash now accused of sexually abusing minor
Christopher Atkinson, 33, was charged on July 2 with second-degree sexual abuse. He was already accused of taking four minors on an evening joyride on Marion County backroads, drinking and smoking marijuana with them before crashing, killing one teenager.