Oregon Public Broadcasting

A Portland police officer who was shot in the legs during a traffic stop last month spoke about the experience today.

That incident ended with police fatally shooting 25-year-old Keaton Otis. Amelia Templeton reports.

Portland Police officer Christopher Burley says he was trying to get Otis out of his car to make the situation safer for everyone involved.

He was surprised when Otis resisted and pulled a gun on him.

Burley says he came close to getting shot in the head. He backed away and the bullets hit his legs instead.

Otis' family has said he had a mood disorder and that they tried unsuccessfully to have him committed.

Burley says the state needs to provide better mental health services. 

Christopher Burley: "The community as a whole, we've failed Mr. Otis. He deserved resources to help him, and we didn't get Mr. Otis what he needed. It's not for a lack of the family trying. They tried."

A police bureau spokeswoman stopped Burley from answering a question about the events that led to the shooting. 

A grand jury decided last week officers bore no criminal liability for Otis' death. The district attorney's office is expected to release testimony from the grand jury hearing soon.