UPDATED > Shooting incidents surge, all across our area. Many wonder if this recent astounding increase in gunfire could be due to the disbanding of the Police Bureau’s Gun Violence Reduction Taskforce …
All across outer East Portland shootings continue, in the Hazelwood, Lents, and three in the Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
While City of Portland elected officials push forward a variety of public welfare programs in 2020, not Mayor Ted Wheeler nor any of the Portland City Council members have publically acknowledged the very sharp increase in a problem the affects the safety and welfare of outer East Portland residents – gun violence.
“The Portland Police Bureau (PPB) has responded to at least 85 shootings this November, and 778 shootings since January 1, 2020,” reported the Bureau’s Public Information Officer, Derek Carmon, this week. “Compare that to the PPB responding to 33 shootings in November, 2019 and a total of 393 shooting calls for all of 2019.”
As East Portland News has documented, in weekly reports, much of the gun violence has taken place within the boundaries of our 13 neighborhoods.
November 23
Hazelwood shooting murder victim identified
Officers discuss evidence they found in the Hazelwood neighborhood, after what turned out to be a fatal shooting.
It’s not clear who called it in to 911, but PPB East Precinct officers were dispatched to the area of NE 122nd Avenue at Davis Street early Monday, November 23, at 1:29 a.m., on a report of a “person down” at that location.
Officers located a victim with gunshot wound injuries. It’s not known if the victim died at the scene, while being taken to a hospital, or in a medical center – but, the next day, police officials announced that the person had expired.
The circumstances of the shooting remain a mystery, but it is certain that 35-year-old Ian Alexander Phillips was murdered. Family provided photo
On December 1, officials announced that the man murdered in this incident was 35-year-old Ian Alexander Phillips; and that the Oregon State Medical Examiner had determined the death to be a “homicide by gunshot”.
If you have information about this shooting, contact Detective Jennifer Hertzler, 503-823-1040 Jennifer.Hertzler@portlandoregon.gov, or Detective Brad Clifton, 503-823-0696 Brad.Clifton@portlandoregon.gov.
November 29
Women shot inside her Lents residence
Officers come to investigating near the Ron Russell Middle School campus, where a woman is found wounded – in both legs..
PPB East Precinct officers were sent to an apartment complex on Sunday, November 29, at 2:53 a.m., on the disputed border of the Lents and Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhoods – just north of the Ron Russell Middle School campus on SE Bush Street. It was another “shots fired” call.
“Shots fired,” indeed! Officers were directed to a residence where they found an adult female victim with gunshot wounds to both legs.
With a wounded woman inside, an ambulance heads for a hospital here, between the Lents and Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhoods.
“Officers could see that these injuries could possibly be life-threatening, and immediately applied two tourniquets, one on each leg,” Officer Carmon said.
Other than that the shooting victim was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries, no further information has currently been available. “There is no suspect information and no arrests have been made,” Carmon said.
Anyone with information about this stabbing is asked to call Portland Police at 503 823-3333. Please reference Case # 20-354520.
November 29
Bystander neighbor wounded in Pleasant Valley shooting
Some distance from the shooting, police officers cordon off the neighborhood, where stray bullets hit a neighbor.
The second of the shooting incidents on Sunday, November 29, dispatched officers to SE Foster Road near 117th Avenue, to look into a “shots fired” call at 9:40 p.m.
“Arriving officers located an adult male victim with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound,” reported Public Information Officer Carmon.
“Officers learned a disturbance was occurring outside at that location. One male juvenile was defending himself from two other suspects, at least one of which was armed with a pistol.”
As the two suspects ran off, one of them fired back towards their intended target, but missed him and hit somebody else. “The neighbor who was shot was stepping out of his residence to see what was occurring, and was wounded,” Carmon explained.
No arrests have been made, and there is no suspect information available at this time.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Portland Police at 503-823-3333 and reference Case #20-355191.
November 30
Bullets spray Powellhurst-Gilbert street
This image makes it clear why law enforcement officials were concerned about this shooting in the Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood. PPB provided image
“It sounded like a war zone, with all the shooting down the street,” remarked Powellhurst-Gilbert resident Jan Watson on November 30, hours after gunfire had broken out on SE 136th Avenue near Center Street. “I really don’t think now is the time to ‘de-fund the police’ – especially with all the shootings out here!” he told East Portland News.
Officers who were dispatched to the area at 4:18 a.m. that morning didn’t find any victim, but they did find plenty of evidence. “More than 25 bullet casings were found. A vehicle and a residence had been hit by gunfire,” confirmed PPB spokesperson Carmon.
“A short time later, an adult male arrived at an area hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound; it’s unknown whether his injuries are related to this shooting,” Carmon said.
This investigations are ongoing, and additional information will be released at the direction of investigators.
December 1
Bullets again spray same Powellhurst-Gilbert street
A day later, investigators are called back to the same intersection, after another gunfight erupts. PPB provided image
Just 24 hours – and two minutes – later, on Tuesday, December 1, at 4:20 a.m., officers were dispatched to the same exact intersection on SE 136th Avenue.
By the time officers arrived, the gunfire had stopped – but once again, the street was littered with new evidence of a gunfight.
“This time, officers recovered 18 bullet casings, and discovered two residences hit by gunfire,” Officer Carmon reported.
This investigations are ongoing and additional information will be released at the direction of investigators,” Carmon added. Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to call Portland Police at 503 823-3333 and reference Case #20-356372.
December 3
Suspected gunman arrested in another Powellhurst-Gilbert shooting
After a woman called the 9-1-1 Center reporting that she’d been shot at on December 3, officers were dispatched at 7:34 p.m. to the area of SE Ramona Street near 128th Avenue.
“Arriving officers arrived learned that the victim, who was uninjured, had been shot at by a suspect, who had exited a white van,” reported PPB Public Information Officer Melissa Newhard.
After broadcasting the description and possible location of van to all East Precinct units, an officer spotted the truck near SE 136th Avenue and Powell Boulevard. “Officers conducted a traffic stop on the van and spoke with the occupants; the suspect of the shooting, who was inside the van, was arrested,” Newhard said.
Booked on two Felonies and a Misdemeanor charge in this shooting is 18-year-old Sirdeontay W. Ware – who was set free, the next day, without bail. MCDC booking photo
Booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center (MCDC) on December 4 at 1:31 a.m. was 18-year-old Sirdeontay W. Ware, on charges of Attempted Assault I, and Attempted Unlawful Use of a Weapon.
UPDATE:
At his arraignment that morning, Ware learned that a Felony charge of Unlawful Use of a Weapon was also added, making his combined bail $2,250.00. But, the afternoon of December 4, a kindly judge released Ware from custody, and dismissed his bail. Release Reason: Pre-Trial Supervision.
If anyone has additional information regarding this incident they are asked to contact Detective Bryan Declercque at Bryan.Declercque@portlandoregon.gov.
Turn in a shooter, get paid cash
Crime Stoppers of Oregon offers cash rewards of up to $2,500 for information, reported to Crime Stoppers, that leads to an arrest in any unsolved felony crime; there are plenty of crimes to choose from these days, and tipsters can remain anonymous.
Reach Crime Stoppers via their secure website: CLICK HERE.
© 2020 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™
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