Dakotah Ray Horton, Assault with Baseball Bat, Oregon 2020

PORTLAND, Ore. — A baseball bat swung in the dark early hours of July 27, 2020, found its mark on the back, neck, and shoulder of a deputy U.S. marshal kneeling to make an arrest outside the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse. Now, the man accused of that violent strike—Dakotah Ray Horton, 24, of Portland—faces federal charges for assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon.

Horton was charged by criminal complaint following a weeks-long manhunt that ended with his arrest on August 17, 2020, in the Rock Creek area of Washington County. The U.S. Marshals Service issued a public bulletin on August 2, circulating still images pulled from online videos showing Horton wielding the bat and attacking the officer. A deputy marshal recognized the suspect’s likeness and confirmed his identity during a surveillance operation.

According to court documents, the assault unfolded amid chaos. Rioters had gathered outside the courthouse, cutting at security fencing with power tools and hurling glass bottles, rocks, and explosive devices at law enforcement. After repeated dispersal orders were ignored, U.S. Marshals moved in formation. As one deputy went to the ground during an arrest, Horton charged from behind and struck him with a wooden baseball bat. The attack was captured on multiple video feeds and witnessed by officers on scene.

When Horton was taken into custody, deputies found a loaded firearm concealed in his waistband. He made his initial appearance in federal court on August 18 and was ordered detained pending further proceedings. He remains in federal custody as the case advances.

“Assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon is a serious violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams. Acting Special Agent in Charge Eben Roberts of Homeland Security Investigations added, “This case is a shining example of how law enforcement works together to pursue violent opportunists.” The investigation was led by the U.S. Marshals Service with support from Homeland Security Investigations and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

Horton is charged with one count of assaulting a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon—a crime punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah K. Bolstad. A criminal complaint is not a conviction; Horton is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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