Two Wounded in Portland Shooting During Federal Fugitive Operation
Two people were wounded during a shooting involving US federal agents in Portland, Oregon, authorities have confirmed, as tensions remain high following recent federal law enforcement actions across the country.
The Portland Police Bureau said a man and a woman were taken to hospital after the incident, although their conditions have not been disclosed. Officers were not involved in the shooting itself and were called to the scene after reports of gunfire.
The Department of Homeland Security said the incident occurred at about 14:19 local time during a traffic stop involving a suspected Venezuelan gang member. According to DHS, the driver attempted to run over federal agents with his vehicle.
In a statement posted online, DHS said the passenger and target of the stop was a Venezuelan national alleged to be affiliated with the transnational Tren de Aragua prostitution ring and linked to a recent shooting in Portland.
“When agents identified themselves to the occupants, the driver weaponised his vehicle and attempted to run over law enforcement,” the statement said. “Fearing for his life, an agent fired a defensive shot.”
DHS said the driver then fled the scene with the passenger still inside the vehicle.
Victims found blocks away
Portland police said the two wounded individuals were discovered several blocks from where the shooting occurred. Officers applied a tourniquet and called emergency medical services before both were taken to hospital.
US media outlets, citing police sources, reported that the injured man and woman are married, though authorities have not formally identified them.
Portland District Attorney Nathan Vasquez, speaking at the scene, said his office was monitoring the situation closely.
“My role is to make sure there is a thorough and complete investigation,” he said. “We want to ensure all evidence is preserved and that we get a full account of what happened.”
Investigation led by the FBI
The shooting comes a day after a federal agent fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis, an incident that sparked protests nationwide against federal law enforcement operations in US cities.
In that case, Minnesota officials said the Federal Bureau of Investigation would not include local investigators in its inquiry, drawing criticism from community leaders.
Portland Police Chief Bob Day said the investigation into Thursday’s shooting, which occurred in the Hazelwood neighbourhood, would also be led by the FBI.
Read More: Aldrich Ames, CIA officer who sold US secrets to the Soviets
“We understand the heightened emotion many people are feeling after the shooting in Minneapolis,” he said. “I am asking the community to remain calm as we work to establish the facts.”
Calls to pause federal operations
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson urged Immigration and Customs Enforcement to suspend operations in the city until the investigation is complete.
“We know what the federal government says happened,” he said. “There was a time when we could take them at their word. That time is long past.”
He accused the administration of seeking to divide communities and called on residents to support one another.
Portland has previously been a focal point for large scale protests against former president Donald Trump. On Wednesday night, police arrested one protester on suspicion of menacing after allegedly threatening another individual with a knife.
Trust concerns raised
Democratic state senator Lew Frederick told the BBC that excluding local authorities from the investigation would undermine public confidence.
“If the community is not involved, people will not trust that the findings are impartial,” he said, adding that rising tensions and frequent protests had made confrontations increasingly likely.
“Unfortunately, what happened was foreseeable,” he said.
As investigations continue in both Portland and Minneapolis, officials face mounting pressure to restore trust while addressing growing concerns over federal enforcement actions in US cities.
