PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Federal immigration officers shot and wounded two people outside a hospital in Portland, Oregon, on Thursday, a day after an officer shot and killed a driver in Minnesota, authorities said.
The FBI’s Portland office said it is investigating the 'agent involved shooting' that took place around 2:15 p.m. According to the Portland Police Bureau, officers initially responded to a report of a shooting near a hospital.
A few minutes later, police received information that a man who had been shot was asking for help in a different area a couple of miles away. Officers responded to that location and found two individuals with apparent gunshot wounds, determining that they were injured in the same altercation involving federal agents.
The conditions of the victims were not immediately disclosed. City Council President Elana Pirtle-Guiney stated during a Portland city council meeting that the shooting occurred in the eastern part of the city.
“As far as we know, both of these individuals are still alive, and we are hoping for more positive updates throughout the afternoon,” she said.
The shooting unfolds amidst a backdrop of heightened tensions in Portland, a city historically critical of federal immigration policies and practices. Just a day earlier, an ICE officer fatally shot a woman in Minnesota, contributing to the outrage surrounding federal enforcement actions.
Local leaders have responded strongly, with Portland Mayor Keith Wilson and city councilors urging ICE to cease operations in the city until the investigation concludes. “We cannot afford to let our constitutional protections erode and bloodshed mount,” they stated in a joint statement.
“We stand united as elected officials in saying that we cannot sit by while constitutional protections erode and bloodshed mounts,” the statement continued. “Portland is not a ‘training ground’ for militarized agents, and the actions threatened by the administration have deadly consequences.”
The city officials further conveyed that federal militarization undermines public safety and contradicts the community’s values. They vowed to use all available legal and legislative tools to defend residents’ civil and human rights.
U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon has also called for peaceful protests, warning that “Trump wants to generate riots. Don’t take the bait.”
As the community grapples with this incident, Chief Bob Day encouraged residents to remain calm, acknowledging the heightened emotions following the Minneapolis shooting.
“We are still in the early stages of this incident,” he stated. “We understand the heightened emotion and tension many are feeling in the wake of the shooting in Minneapolis, but I am asking the community to remain calm as we work to learn more.”
