Two individuals were shot and wounded by United States federal agents in Portland, Oregon, on Thursday afternoon, according to local police authorities.
Details of the Incident
Portland Police Bureau (PPB) officers responded to a call for help at approximately 2:24 pm local time near Northeast 146th Avenue and East Burnside. They discovered a man and a woman, both suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Officers provided immediate first aid, applying a tourniquet, and called for emergency medical services. The two victims were subsequently transported to a nearby hospital, with their current medical conditions remaining unknown.
The PPB was quick to clarify that its own officers were not involved in the use of force. Their investigation determined the shooting was "involving federal agents." The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Portland office initially posted on social media platform X that it was leading an investigation into an agent-involved shooting that occurred around 2:15 pm near the 10000 block of Main Street. The post specified that the agents involved were from US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This post was later deleted.
Official Reactions and Calls for Calm
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 went further, demanding an immediate suspension of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities in the city. "We cannot sit by while constitutional protections erode and bloodshed mounts. Portland is not a 'training ground' for militarised agents... As Mayor, I call on ICE to end all operations in Portland until a full investigation can be completed."
Police Chief Bob Day appealed for community calm amidst heightened tensions following a separate shooting in Minneapolis. The PPB also reiterated in its statement that it does not engage in immigration enforcement.
Ongoing Federal Investigation
The FBI has taken the lead in investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting. An ABC News affiliate corroborated that the agents involved were from US Customs and Border Protection. The bureau described the probe as "an active and ongoing investigation."
This incident has intensified scrutiny on the presence and tactics of federal law enforcement officers in Portland, a city that has seen previous clashes between protesters and federal agents.
