PORTLAND, Ore. – The family of a father of eight who was fatally shot during a confrontation with an Uber driver in downtown Portland is suing Multnomah County, Uber, and the driver himself for $40 million. The lawsuit claims the tragedy could have been avoided if authorities and the rideshare company had acted responsibly.
A Deadly Encounter
On a fall evening in October 2023, 47-year-old Ryan Martin, a master electrician at Nike, was driving home from work to attend his child’s soccer game in Vancouver. Along the way, he became entangled in a confrontation with Geoffrey Hammond, an Uber driver idling near the Moxy Hotel during rush-hour traffic.
Martin reportedly asked Hammond to move his car. Moments later, Hammond pulled a gun and shot Martin in the chest, killing him instantly. He then turned the weapon on bystander Sam Gomez, who was filming the incident, wounding him with multiple shots.
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Both Martin and Gomez were unarmed. The entire sequence was captured on surveillance video.
Hammond Convicted
Hammond, now 48, was convicted earlier this year of second-degree murder and attempted murder. He is serving a life sentence with the possibility of parole after 30 years at the Snake River Correctional Institution in eastern Oregon.
But Martin’s family says the criminal case didn’t answer the bigger question: why Hammond was permitted to drive for Uber and carry a county-issued concealed handgun in the first place.
The Lawsuit
Filed Thursday in Multnomah County Circuit Court, the $40 million suit alleges negligence by:
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The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, for granting Hammond a concealed handgun license in 2021 despite his history of arrests and later failing to revoke it.
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Uber, for hiring Hammond as a driver and allowing him to continue driving despite red flags.
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Hammond, for committing the shooting that took Martin’s life.
“The criminal case held the shooter accountable, but it left unanswered why he was allowed to drive for Uber and carry a gun with a county-issued license,” the Martin family’s attorneys said in a statement.
Red Flags Ignored
Court filings claim Hammond’s past included arrests in Illinois for misdemeanor assault, domestic battery, violating a protective order, and driving while revoked, as well as a conviction for misdemeanor eavesdropping.
Despite this history, the sheriff’s office issued him a license to carry a concealed handgun in Oregon in 2021.
Months later, Hammond’s daughter filed for a protective order, accusing him of delusional and threatening behavior, including using a gun for intimidation. The suit alleges that the sheriff’s office knew about the order but failed to revoke his license.
In fact, Hammond himself reportedly called the sheriff’s office to ask whether an out-of-state restraining order could result in losing his license. According to the lawsuit, he was told it would not.
The sheriff’s website notes that Oregon protective orders disqualify someone from holding a concealed handgun license—but does not address out-of-state orders.
Uber’s Role
The suit also targets Uber, pointing to its safety policies. The company’s website says drivers undergo background checks before being approved and that screenings are rerun annually, with technology monitoring for interim issues. Uber also explicitly bans drivers from carrying firearms while working.
Attorneys for Martin’s estate argue that Uber failed to properly vet Hammond and allowed him to continue driving despite his troubling history.
“None of this had to happen,” the lawsuit states. “If the defendants had exercised ordinary care, Martin would be alive today.”
A Family’s Loss
Martin’s death left behind his wife and eight children. Known as a dedicated father and respected electrician, he was described by his family’s attorneys as “a man who should have been coming home from work to his kids, not shot dead on a downtown Portland street.”
Attorney Amity Girt, representing the estate, said the case highlights systemic failures.
“The county could have and should have revoked his handgun license,” she said. “They had the tools to do so, knew about the restraining order, and ignored it because it was out-of-state. That’s frightening.”
County and Company Silent
The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office declined to comment, citing pending litigation. Uber did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Hammond, now in prison, could not be reached.
The Stakes
The $40 million lawsuit seeks accountability from the county, Uber, and Hammond for what the Martin family says was a preventable tragedy.
For Martin’s loved ones, the case is about more than compensation. It’s about forcing institutions to confront failures that left an unstable man legally armed, behind the wheel of a rideshare vehicle, and ultimately responsible for a life cut short.
