Gresham, OR. — Following multiple community tips, Gresham Police have arrested 64-year-old David Mead Sr. in connection with a Halloween night altercation at a Taco Bell drive-thru. Officers located and arrested Mead early Wednesday evening. He was booked into the Multnomah County Jail on Unlawful Use of a Weapon and three counts of Menacing.
Police say the incident began when a man banged on the restaurant’s doors, returned to a gray Ford F-150 with a camper shell and Oregon Cultural Trust plates, and attempted to cut ahead of vehicles in the drive-thru line. When other customers told him to wait his turn, witnesses reported that he brandished what appeared to be a handgun and pointed it toward a car with two adults and a young child. The suspect was described at the time as wearing a black jacket with a badge, possibly linked to private security.
In their follow-up investigation, officers determined the weapon was a compressed-air powered device designed to fire irritant or kinetic projectiles. The device’s design, coloration, and operation closely mimic a firearm. While possession of such a tool is not illegal, police emphasized that displaying it—or any replica firearm—during a dispute can rapidly escalate danger and may lead to criminal charges.
Gresham Police thanked community members and media partners for sharing the earlier person-of-interest notice, which helped lead to Mead’s identification and arrest.
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