Oregon Officials Demand Answers After Federal Agent Shoots Two People in Portland Amid Conflicting Reports
PORTLAND, Ore. — The true facts surrounding yesterday’s shooting in Portland – in which a man and a woman were injured and whose conditions are still unknown – remain unclear as updates have yet to be released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
First, it was reported that the shooters were Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, and later that it was said to be an agent from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
One Shot Fired but Two Suspects Wounded?
Another confusing report is that the federal agent fired one shot at suspects seated in a truck. Yet another report states that two suspects were admitted to local hospitals suffering from gunshot wounds.
The shooting saw hundreds of Portland residents take to the streets to protest the federal government’s stance on immigrants. Their protest was fueled by the shooting in Minneapolis on Wednesday of an American mother, killed by an ICE agent while seated in her vehicle.
According to OPB News, a statement was issued by Tricia McLaughlin, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Assistant Secretary, in which she alleges that the couple shot in Portland are members of a ‘vicious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua,’ and that the passenger was involved in a prostitution ring in Portland.
McLaughlin goes on to claim that the driver ‘weaponized’ his vehicle by attempting to run over law enforcement agents.
She says quite clearly that one shot was fired when stating that ‘Fearing for his life and safety, an agent fired a defensive shot.’
PPB Officers Responded to the Shooting
Portland Police Bureau (PPB) officers responded to the shooting that occurred in a parking lot in the 10200 block of Southeast Main Street in the Hazelwood Neighborhood at 2.18 p.m. yesterday. PPB confirmed that federal agents were involved in the shooting.
Six minutes later, police officers were informed of a shooting in the area of Northeast 146th Avenue and East Burnside, in which a man had been injured. On arrival, officers found a man and a woman, both suffering from gunshot wounds. They applied a tourniquet and were transported to the hospital by emergency medical personnel.
Police Chief Calls on Community to Remain Calm
Addressing a press conference, Police Chief Bob Day said it was understandable that the incident caused emotions to run high in the wake of the Minneapolis shooting, but called on the community to remain calm.
According to AP, Renee Good (37) was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on Wednesday after dropping off her six-year-old son at school. She had never been charged with any offense beyond a single traffic ticket.
However, the Trump administration has described Good as a domestic terrorist who had attempted to run over federal agents with her vehicle.
Reaction to the Portland Shooting
Yesterday’s shooting brought the Portland City Council’s monthly meeting to an abrupt halt, followed by a press conference at which Mayor Keith Wilson and Governor Tina Kotek condemned the incident.
A crowd of about 500 people gathered outside the ICE detention center in South Portland, chanting anti-immigration slogans, while more than 200 people attended a peaceful vigil outside Portland City Hall.
Here is what top Oregon leaders said in response to the Portland shooting:
Mayor Keith Wilson:
“As Mayor, I call on ICE to end all operations in Portland until a full investigation can be completed.”
AG Dan Rayfield:
“We have been clear about our concerns with excessive use of force by federal agents in Portland and nationally.”
Rep Maxine Dexter:
“Both individuals are alive, but we do not know the extent of their injuries.”
At this stage, the condition of the man and woman admitted to the Oregon Health & Science University and the Legacy Emanuel Hospital remains unknown.
The shooting is under investigation by the FBI, but yesterday Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield announced his own investigation into the incident to discover if any federal agent ‘acted outside the scope of their lawful authority.’