Two people were shot and wounded by United States federal agents in Portland, Oregon, on Thursday afternoon, according to local police authorities.
Details of the Incident
The Portland Police Bureau (PPB) confirmed that its officers were not involved in the shooting incident, which occurred on Thursday, 2nd May. At approximately 2:24 pm, officers received a call for help from a man who reported he had been shot in the area of Northeast 146th Avenue and East Burnside.
Upon responding, officers discovered a male and a female, both with apparent gunshot wounds. First aid, including the application of a tourniquet, was administered before emergency medical personnel arrived. The two injured individuals were transported to a local hospital, where their conditions remain unknown.
In a subsequent statement, the PPB clarified that the victims' injuries resulted from a shooting involving federal agents.
Official Responses and Investigation
Portland's Mayor, Keith Wilson, issued a strongly worded statement condemning the violence. "Just one day after the horrific violence in Minnesota at the hands of federal agents, our community here in Portland is now grappling with another deeply troubling incident," Wilson said.
He added, "We cannot sit by while constitutional protections erode and bloodshed mounts. Portland is not a 'training ground' for militarised agents, and the 'full force' threatened by the administration has deadly consequences. As Mayor, I call on ICE to end all operations in Portland until a full investigation can be completed."
The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Portland office initially posted on social media platform X that it was investigating an agent-involved shooting that happened at approximately 2:15 pm near the 10000 block of Main Street. The post identified the agents involved as belonging to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The FBI stated it was leading the active and ongoing investigation, though the post was later deleted.
Community Tensions and Police Statement
Police Chief Bob Day addressed the community, acknowledging the heightened emotions following a recent shooting in Minneapolis. "I am asking the community to remain calm as we work to learn more," Chief Day stated.
The PPB's statement also took care to remind the public that the Portland Police Bureau does not engage in immigration enforcement, a point of significant local sensitivity. Reports from an ABC News affiliate corroborated that the agents involved were from US Customs and Border Protection.
The incident has intensified scrutiny of federal law enforcement activities in the city, with local officials demanding transparency and a halt to operations pending the outcome of the FBI's investigation.
