Across outer East Portland, surge of shootings continues

One of these gun-involved incidents created a mile-long crime scene, and ending in another shooting murder …

From Montavilla, to Powellhurst-Gilbert, to the Wilkes neighborhoods, shootings continue across outer East Portland. PPB image

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

The joy of the Holiday Season hasn’t slowed the upsurge in criminal activity with guns, as even more shootings have taken place in outer East Portland – one of them ending in a 16-year-old’s murder.

December 12
Montavilla shooting wounds one, near Harrison Park

In darkness, officers discover a shooting crime scene that extends across the southeastern edge of Harrison Park.

In the middle of the night of December 12, shots were reported near HarrisonPark, summoning Portland Police Bureau (PPB) East Precinct officers at 2:55 a.m. to where SE 84th Avenue enters the park and then bends north into Harrison Street

“Southwest of that location along the south edge of Harrison Park, officers found evidence of gunfire along SE Lincoln Street near 85th Avenue,” confirmed PPB Public Information Officer Melissa Newhard. “Officers spoke to individuals who had witnessed the incident, and stated a victim had been shot. A short time later, an individual with a gunshot wound walked into an area hospital.

“The victim said they had been shot while they were near Harrison Park,” Newhard continued. “The victim sustained life-threatening injuries, and remains in the care of the hospital at this time.”

December 15
Murder at end of a Powellhurst-Gilbert ‘mile-long crime scene’

Along SE 136th Avenue, just south of Division Street, an officer finds spent bullet shell casings at what turns out to be the beginning of a nearly mile-long “crime scene”.

A daytime “traveling shooting spree” in the midafternoon of Tuesday, December 15, was one of the most unusual of all of these sorts of incidents we’ve covered in 2020.

The call came in to the 9-1-1 Center, reporting a shooting on the street near Cruiser’s Drive In, at the intersection of SE Division Street and 136th Avenue; Portland Police officers were dispatched at 2:34 p.m. that afternoon.

On SE 136th Avenue, near Clinton Street, a PPB sergeant and officers search for and find more crime-scene evidence.

It didn’t take long for as many as 24 officers to arrive at various points of what turned out to be a very long crime scene.

An officer at the starting location, at SE Division Street, told East Portland News, “This is unfolding while we speak; it seems that a shooter in one car was following another, firing at that car as they [both] drove south on SE 136th Avenue.”

Further south along SE 136th Avenue, a couple of blocks north of Powell Boulevard, officers find more evidence near this crosswalk.

Skirting through the neighborhood, before returning to SE 136th Avenue at Clinton Street, another officer told us, “It’s a very, very long, stretched-out crime scene, with bullet casings along the way.”

A red Honda sedan, with its front end smashed after hitting at least one parked car along the way south, came to a stop along SE 136th Avenue, just north of Center Street.

“Officers found that one person who appeared to have been shot and was transported by ambulance to the hospital,” advised PPB Public Information Officer Derek Carmon.

The PPB Mobile Command Center again serves as a portable office from which the investigation is conducted.

“This incident took place on SE 136th Avenue from Division, south to Center,” confirmed Carmon. “This distance is almost a mile long, and investigators are seeking information from witnesses who may have been in the area or anyone who may have video along this road.”

Neighbors came out of their homes, to watch the investigation fold. “I can’t believe this is happening again, right here on our street,” said 35-year-resident Mable Blackman, as she looked on.

“Last week [on December 9] a shooting was just a block away [to the south] at night,” Blackman said to East Portland News. “Now, here it is, right in the middle of the afternoon is a shootout,” she pointed out. “It’s time for those in charge to let our police start keeping our streets safe again,” demanded Blackman.

The next day, Officer Carmon reported, “The victim in this shooting has been identified as 16-year-old Abdushukri Uren; the Oregon State Medical Examiner has determined Uren died from a gunshot wound, and ruled it a homicide.”

There have been no arrests yet in this case. “This is an ongoing investigation,” Carmon said.

A PPB detective looks at the smashed car, with numerous holes, in which the victim was fatally wounded.

“This is the 49th homicide of 2020, and 36th homicide of 2020 involving a firearm,” tallied Carmon.

Those with information are asked to contact Detective William Winters at William.Winters@portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-0466; or, Detective Joseph Corona at Joseph.Corona@portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-0508.

December 16
Houses struck by bullets from 3 guns, in Powellhurst-Gilbert

Multiple gunshots bring officers to a dead-end street in this residential neighborhood.

Multiple people in the Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood called the 9-1-1 Center to report hearing a torrent of gunshots on December 13; dispatchers sent PPB East Precinct officers to check it out, at 8:59 p.m. that evening.

Six officers arrived at the scene – SE Gladstone Street near 118th Avenue – within minutes of being dispatched, and indeed found evidence of gunfire. “The callers reported hearing 20 to 30 gunshots,” said PPB’s Officer Newhard.

The neighbors’ estimate proved to be correct, Newhard told East Portland News. “Officers located approximately 31 spent bullet casings, from three different calibers of guns – a 9mm, 40 caliber, and 45 caliber – and two [unfired] bullets.

“A canvass of the area revealed that two occupied residences were struck, along with an unoccupied van; but at this time, there are no injuries have been reported,” Newhard noted.

December 17
Bullets strike house, vehicle in Wilkes daytime shooting

After cordoning off the area, officers begin to investigate this daytime shooting in which a house was shot up, but no one inside was injured.

At first, officials weren’t saying much about this mid-afternoon “shots fired” call, in the far northeast neighborhood called the Wilkes Community Group on December 17. Five PPB North Precinct officers were dispatched to NE Milton Place, where it turns into NE 156th Avenue at 1:41 p.m. that afternoon.

Then, one of the PPB’s diligent Public Information Officers, Melissa Newhard located the details of this incident for East Portland News. “An occupied house in the block was struck three times, by gunfire; and, their vehicle in the driveway was also struck.

“Two people had been inside the home at the time of the shooting; luckily, they were not injured,” Newhard said.

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It is tempting to hope that perhaps this ongoing “Battle of the Bullets in outer East Portland” will subside a bit for the Holidays, but at present, there is no evidence of such a cease-fire.  We’ll be on duty to report for you, in any event.

© 2020 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™

 

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