At least nine people were struck or otherwise injured by gunfire in Portland overnight, leaving one dead and several hurt.
On Saturday, May 13, 2023 at 10:18p.m., Central Precinct officers were dispatched to a report of shots heard in the 900 block of Southeast 33rd Avenue in the Sunnyside Neighborhood. Officers checked the area and did not locate any victims or evidence of gunfire. At 10:50p.m., officers learned that a victim walked into a hospital with an apparent gunshot wound that was not life-threatening. The victim refused to say where the shooting took place. Officers investigated and found a crime scene in the 3300 block of Southeast Belmont Street. No arrests were made. (23-125526)
On Sunday, May 14, 2023 at 12:04a.m., North Precinct officers responded to a report of a shooting in a bar in the 1400 block of Northeast Broadway in the Lloyd District Neighborhood. When officers arrived they located three victims with apparent gunshot wounds. Officers performed trauma first aid on the one adult male and two adult female victims, including applying tourniquets. Paramedics arrived to take over advanced care. All three were transported to the hospital by ambulances with injuries that are not believed to be life threatening. (23-125622)
At 3:28a.m., East Precinct Officers were dispatched to Portland hospital on a report of a victim checking himself in with a gunshot wound. The victim was not cooperative and refused to say where he had been shot. Officers, through investigation, located a possible crime scene in the 8600 block of Southeast Foster Road in the Lents Neighborhood. No arrests were made. (23-125733)
At 3:34a.m., North Precinct officers were dispatched to a report of a shooting in the 6500 block of Northeast Killingsworth Street in the Cully Neighborhood. When they arrived they found three injured people. EMS responded to the scene to treat the victims. One adult male was transported to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Two others suffered minor injuries and were not transported to the hospital. (23-125743; see related press release here: https://www.portlandoregon.gov/police/news/read.cfm?id=492877 )
At 5:43a.m., officers were dispatched to the 170 block of Southeast 146th Avenue in the Hazelwood Neighborhood on a report of multiple shots fired. Officers located an adult male victim, who had some injuries to his neck. He was evaluated by paramedics but declined ambulance transport. Officers determined that a suspect fired through the victim’s apartment door. Evidence of gunfire was located. No immediate arrests were made. (23-125790)
Portland Police Detectives from the Homicide Unit, Enhanced Community Safety Team (ECST), and others in the Detective Division are actively investigating these cases. It is common investigative practice to consider the possibility that serious crimes may be related, but there has been no definitive connection made between these events.
ECST investigators consider all gunfire aimed at Portland community members to be attempted murder cases. Eyewitnesses or video evidence is crucial in solving these cases and these crime victims need people to come forward with any information. If anyone has information about any shooting case, please contact crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov , or tips can be sent to Crime Stoppers. Please reference the corresponding case number.
Crime Stoppers of Oregon offers cash rewards of up to $2,500 cash for information, reported to Crime Stoppers, that leads to an arrest in any unsolved felony crime and tipsters can remain anonymous. Anyone wishing to submit a secure and anonymous tip regarding any unsolved felony crime should visit http://www.crimestoppersoforegon.com or visit the App Store and download P3 Tips for your smart phone or tablet. Crime Stoppers of Oregon is funded 100 percent by community donations. To support Crime Stoppers with a donation, or to view other unsolved cases, please visit http://www.crimestoppersoforegon.com/
While this was a busy shift, it is by no means unique. The Focused Intervention Team, or FIT, and patrol officers from North, East, and Central Precincts continue to respond to shootings and other high priority calls daily. Preliminary tally is that PPB members have recorded 382 confirmed shootings this year to date, and 120 people have been hurt or killed by gunfire (not including suicides). Of the 34 homicides in the City of Portland this year, 30 have been shootings. By comparison, last year on this date there had been 528 confirmed shooting incidents and 166 injured or killed. The homicide count was 37 at this time last year, including 35 shootings.
FIT continues its work to help prevent gun violence. In between emergency calls, FIT members build relationships with community members and proactively deter violence consistent with their mandate. FIT is overseen by a group of community volunteers known as the Focused Intervention Team Community Oversight Group, or FITCOG. The FITCOG commenced in June 2021 in response to the gun violence crisis in Portland to work with the Focused Intervention Team (FIT) and assist with recommendations to reduce gun violence through prevention, intervention, and response. For more information, see their website: https://www.portland.gov/fitcog .
In addition, precinct personnel continue to work to address gun violence via data-driven policing. All precincts continue to initiate special missions that are focused on criminal activity with a frequent nexus to illegal gun possession and violence. These missions include locating and stopping the use of stolen vehicles and street-level drug dealing. Even missions focused on organized retail theft have led to the seizure of illegally possessed guns. While these efforts are not a comprehensive solution, they are an attempt to utilize our limited resources to make a positive impact on public safety in Portland. And, PPB is happy to do this work concurrently alongside our city and community partners who are also implementing strategies to address the root causes of gun violence.
PPB continues to recruit and hire police officers to serve the community and help address our public safety challenges in Portland. There are currently 71 officer vacancies. If you have a heart for service and want to Join the Best, get more information and apply here: https://www.joinportlandpolice.com/ .