U.S. federal immigration officers injured two individuals in Portland, Oregon, through gunfire on Thursday, as per authorities. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) identified the passenger in the vehicle as “a Venezuelan illegal alien associated with the transnational Tren de Aragua prostitution ring,” who was linked to a recent Portland shooting. Upon agents’ identification of themselves to the vehicle occupants that afternoon, the driver attempted to hit them with the vehicle, prompting an agent to fire a defensive shot due to safety concerns, after which the driver and passenger fled.
Independent verification of these events or the gang connections of the vehicle occupants was not immediately available. Video evidence from past shootings involving agents, part of President Donald Trump’s heightened immigration enforcement in U.S. cities, including a fatal shooting in Minneapolis on Wednesday, raised doubts about the initial descriptions provided by the administration regarding the shooting incidents.
President Trump and his supporters have consistently attributed violence and drug-related issues in some U.S. cities to Tren de Aragua. Portland Police Bureau responded to reports of a shooting near a hospital around 2:18 p.m., followed by information that a man wounded in the incident sought help in a nearby residential area. Officers discovered two individuals with gunshot wounds believed to be related to the federal agents’ shooting.
Their conditions remained unknown at that time. The incident, which occurred in the eastern part of Portland, resulted in injuries to two local residents, according to Council President Elana Pirtle-Guiney. Portland Mayor Keith Wilson and the city council demanded that ICE cease all operations in Portland until a thorough investigation is conducted. They emphasized the importance of upholding constitutional rights and preventing further bloodshed.
Portland police secured the shooting scene and the area where the wounded individuals were located for investigation purposes. During a press briefing, Portland Police Chief Bob Day announced that the FBI was leading the probe and provided no specifics on the circumstances leading to the shooting. Mayor Wilson expressed skepticism about the federal government’s version of events, stating that trust in their accounts had diminished over time.
The city officials stressed the negative impact of federal militarization on community safety and vowed to protect residents’ rights through legal means. They encouraged the community to remain calm and resolute during this challenging period, emphasizing the collective responsibility to safeguard Portland. Senator Jeff Merkley, a Democrat from Oregon, called on protesters to maintain peaceful demonstrations, warning against falling into provocations that could incite riots.