Pictures of the girlfriend of a bullet factory worker who shot dead a black man, 22, after the victim complimented her during a night out, have emerged showing her smiling and posing with her allegedly would-be killer boyfriend as the devastated victim’s family hold a vigil in his memory.
Ian Cranston, 27, was charged with murdering Barry Washington Jr, 22, after he reportedly issued a ‘respectful compliment’ to his girlfriend, Allie Butler, 27, outside a bar in Bend, Oregon.
A woman – who some alleged to be Butler – shouts a profanity and a shot rings out. Then a male voice, suspected to belong to Cranston, exclaims ‘Hey, call the police!’ and laughter is heard.
Later, the woman is heard telling a man that the ‘guy on the ground’ pushed and hit her in the face, and also struck her boyfriend.
Cranston has been charged with crimes including second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and first-degree assault in connection to Washington’s death.
Butler’s mother wrote a Facebook post in May, thanking her ‘lovely daughter’ for sending flowers to ‘brighten up’ her Mother’s Day.
The post included a photo of a bouquet and a note reading: ‘To the strongest and most kind hearted woman we know. Happy Mother’s Day! Love, Ian & Allie.’
Butler, who appears to have earned her bachelor’s degree from Portland State University where she also was a cheerleader, has not been charged in the incident.
Social media users are calling for action to be taken against Butler, alleging that she laughed at Washington and egged Cranston on during the fight.
However, it is not clear from the footage if Butler was the woman laughing during the incident or if she encouraged the encounter.
Ian Cranston, 27, is pictured with his girlfriend, Allie Butler, 27. Cranston is charged with murdering a black man who allegedly issued Butler a ‘respectful’ compliment
Butler, who appears to have earned her bachelor’s degree from Portland State University where she also was a cheerleader, has not been charged in the incident. Social media users are calling for action to be taken against Butler, alleging that she laughed at Washington and egged Cranston on during the fight
Washington was shot on a street in Bend, Oregon, on September 19, after he spoke to Butler outside a bar called The Capital.
Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel said: ‘It is believed that the initial interaction between Barry and Mr. Cranston began when Barry complimented Mr. Cranston’s girlfriend.
‘There’s no evidence that what Mr. Washington did when he approached the woman was inappropriate.
‘There’s not an allegation that he groped her, grabbed her, was crass with her. He complimented her in a respectful manner. She was fine back. She said, ‘No, thank you. I’m flattered but I’m in a relationship.’ No allegation that anything Mr. Washington did was inappropriate.’
That was the extent of the interaction, but Cranston, a machinist at bullet manufacturer Nosler, was ‘not happy,’ it is alleged.
Hummel said the two men later had words outside, and that there was some pushing and punches thrown, but that things had calmed down before Cranston allegedly pulled a gun from his waistband and shot Washington.
Barry Washington Jr
A grab from cellphone video appears to show Washington engaging in a dispute with some people just seconds before a gunshot rings out
The shooting took place on September 19 outside a nightclub in Bend, Oregon
The initial compliment was not caught on camera. Footage said to show the deadly fight was shared on social media, with a man believed to be Washington filmed fighting with another man moments before a gunshot rings out.
Cops were called to the scene, and found Washington, who lived in Bend, lying on the sidewalk suffering from a gunshot wound.
He was rushed to hospital and died the next day.
Cranston has now been charged with crimes including second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and first-degree assault.
He has not been charged with any hate crime, but District Attorney Hummel said an investigation into whether the killing was bias-motivated continues, and drew parallels between the killing and historic racist murders of black men.
He said: ‘If we obtain sufficient evidence to prove that this shooting was at least partially motivated by race, we will go back to that grand jury and ask them to add the charge
‘It is believed that the initial interaction between Barry and Mr. Cranston began when Barry complimented Mr. Cranston’s girlfriend.
‘Our country has a disgraceful history of denigrating, prosecuting and lynching Black men for talking to White women. Over the last week, literally hundreds of people called and emailed me to remind me of this history.’
A GoFundMe campaign was launched by Washington’s aunt to help the family. It has already drawn more than $57,000 in donations
Washington was fatally shot on the sidewalk after complimenting Cranston’s girlfriend and getting into a physical altercation with the man
The district attorney said Washington was ‘respectful’ when he complimented Cranston’s girlfriend. The suspect has not been charged with a hate crime
Cranston has since been arrested and held in Deschutes County Jail on a no-bail warrant, Hummel said.
Cranston’s attorney Kevin Sali accused Washington of being the aggressor and claimed that he physically assaulted his client, leaving him with head injuries.
In a statement to CNN, Sali said ‘indisputable’ video evidence shows ‘before Ian Cranston ever drew his weapon, Barry Washington had assaulted him without provocation, resulting in head injuries that required the police to take Mr. Cranston to the hospital where a brain scan and other procedures had to be performed.’
Cranston’s defense attorney also sharply rebuked Hummel over his race comments.
‘After the evidence comes out at trial, I trust someone will ask the District Attorney why he deliberately inflamed the community with statements he knew were not supported by any evidence,’ Sali stated.
Cranston did not enter a plea during his arraignment on Friday. He is due back in court on December 7.
KTVZ reported that Cranston has no prior criminal history in Oregon. Over the past year, he has worked as a machinist for a company that manufactures bullets.
Washington was a native of Benicia, California, who had only recently relocated to Bend with a friend, according to the Bend Bulletin. He is survived by his mother and younger siblings.
‘This is really overwhelming. The way my son was murdered… it’s too much,’ wrote Washington’s mother, Lawanda Roberson. ‘I’m so hurt.. I haven’t even begin to grieve. The legal case is a lot…all while trying to lay my son to rest.’
Washington, a native of California, is pictured left with his mother, Lawanda Roberson
Meanwhile, Washington’s family and friends are demanding justice.
At a vigil on September 26, Washington’s mother, Lawanda Roberson, said she wanted to make sure she gave her son a voice.
‘I am very shocked. I am in disbelief. I always hear about these stories,’ told KTVZ.
‘I really want to speak for my son because I know there have been a lot of misleading stories out there.’
Washington’s aunt, Valencia Roberson, also shared at the vigil that the family believes his murder was racially motivated.
‘Basically, he told him that they can do to him whatever they wanted to do and kept calling him the ‘N’ word,’ Valencia alleged.
Washington allegedly asked Butler on a date, to which she declined.
Although the initial compliment was not caught camera, the aftermath – including the fatal shooting – was recorded.
In the video said to show the incident, a man believed to be Washington uses foul language and moves towards someone off camera.
Lawanda Roberson, has also been advocating for justice on her Facebook page.
In a post on Tuesday she shared that she was ‘still in shock’ and is ‘overwhelmed with the legalities of the case.’
She also issued heartfelt words to her deceased son, saying: ‘I see your big smile and your words you always say to me ‘mama I’m go be good’ and you know your mama .. not go rest and go make sure Justice is served!
‘No time to just sit and think about the reality. Your gone! But at the end of the night The reality hit and I can’t take it .. my son, my baby is gone.’
A GoFundMe campaign was launched by Washington’s aunt to help the family. It has already drawn more than $57,000 in donations.