2 injured in shooting involving US federal agents in Portland
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the shooting occurred at 2:19pm local time during a traffic stop involving a suspected Venezuelan gang member
Two people have been injured in a shooting involving US federal agents in Portland, Oregon yesterday (8 January), officials said.
Portland Police said a man and a woman were taken to hospital after the incident, and their conditions were unknown, BBC reported.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the shooting occurred at 2:19pm local time during a traffic stop involving a suspected Venezuelan gang member. DHS said the individual attempted to run over federal agents with his vehicle.
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According to a DHS statement posted on X, the passenger in the vehicle was a Venezuelan national allegedly affiliated with the transnational Tren de Aragua prostitution ring and linked to a recent shooting in Portland.
DHS said that after agents identified themselves, the driver used the vehicle in an attempt to hit law enforcement officers. An agent then fired a defensive shot, fearing for his life and safety, the department said.
The driver fled the scene with the passenger, DHS added.
Portland Police said their officers were not involved in the shooting and were called after receiving reports of gunfire. The two wounded individuals were later found several blocks away from the scene.
The report added that police officers applied a tourniquet and called emergency medical services before the man and woman were taken to hospital. US media, citing police sources, reported that the two were a married couple.
Portland District Attorney Nathan Vasquez said he was at the scene to monitor the situation and ensure a full investigation. He said evidence would be preserved so that all facts about the incident could be established.
Portland Police Chief Bob Day said the investigation was still at an early stage and was being led by the FBI. He urged the public to remain calm following the shooting.
The incident came a day after a federal agent fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis, an event that triggered protests across the US against federal law enforcement operations.
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson called on Immigration and Customs Enforcement to halt operations in the city until the investigation is completed. He said trust in federal accounts of such incidents has declined.
Democratic state senator Lew Frederick told the BBC that excluding local investigators from the probe could undermine public trust, adding that rising tensions in the city had made the incident foreseeable.
