Week #163 Shooting Report | INCLUDES 2 VIDEOS | A shooting spree, kidnapping-at-gunpoint, a parking lot shootout, and a woman shot to death – these incidents affected Roseway, Argay Terrace, and Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhoods this week …
This week, Portland Police Bureau officers, investigators, and homicide detectives have been kept very busy in outer East Portland.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Shootings, and escalating violence by criminals with guns, continue to rock our neighborhoods.
At the scene of these crimes, residents all across outer East Portland keep asking us what the City of Portland is doing to curb this violence. So far, not one neighbor has heard of this year’s all-new program, “Portland Ceasefire” – a $4.5 million “investment” in “street level outreach to reduce shootings” announced in June by Mayor Ted Wheeler.
Learn more about it, the “success” provided by their 2022 Safer Summer PDX, why the spike in shootings began, and who is responsible: CLICK HERE.
Now, on to this week’s shooting violence stories of the week …
July 24
Shooter on 82nd Avenue, in Roseway, arrested
Hearing gunshots, officers don’t know if someone is shooting at them or somebody else, in the middle of the night along NE 82nd Avenue of Roses.
Night shift Portland Police Bureau (PPB) officers on patrol on July 24 along NE 82nd Avenue of Roses near Fremont Street heard multiple gunshots fired, and called it in to dispatchers at 2:31 a.m.
The Officers didn’t know if someone was shooting at them, or at someone else. But, they did spot the vehicle from which the shots were fired, and tried to stop it.
Investigators find bullet holes, like this one in the top of window, in this closed Domino’s Pizza store on NE 82nd Avenue of Roses, across from Milton Street. PPB image
Then the driver didn’t stop, and a pursuit followed – all the way to SE 40th Avenue and East Burnside, where the car crashed. Three suspects ran from the accident and were soon tracked down by East Metro SWAT members, the PPB’s Air Support Unit, and drones.
Officers arrested 18-year-old Julius Lee Whitehurst later that day, and booked him into the Multnomah County Detention Center (MCDC) at 1:45 p.m. on charges of Attempted Murder, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.
Even though charged with shooting up a neighborhood, and causing a crash that killed two teens, a booking photo of 18-year-old Julius Lee Whitehurst cannot be shown to you. CLICK HERE for details.
Whitehurst linked to fatal July 5 crash
Investigations discovered that Whitehurst is also suspected of being the driver that killed two teenagers in a crash on July 5 along westbound SE Foster Road, at the northbound I-205 on-ramp intersection. CLICK HERE to see that story and video.
By the way, a 15-year-old juvenile from that crashed car was charged with Attempted Murder, Attempt to Elude in a Vehicle, Reckless Driving, Reckless Endangering, and Unlawful Use of a Weapon – and was booked into the Donald E Long Juvenile Detention Center. A third detained subject detained is also a juvenile and was released to relatives.
This isn’t kids’ stuff: Investigators find a .223 Remington (5.7 mm) diameter jacketed bullet; and confiscate this AR-15 rifle. PPB image
The PPB’s Enhanced Community Safety Team (ECST) is leading the investigation in the shooting case, and if you have information related to his incident please send that to crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov and refer to Case No. 23-193663.
July 25
Attempted car theft leads to Argay Terrace shooting
An officer looks for evidence in the driveway, after a shootout in this Argay Terrace apartment complex.
A “Shots Fired” call from the Melrose Court Apartments, on NE Prescott Place near 132nd Place, sent PPB North Precinct officers to investigate at 2:52 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon, July 25.
After cordoning off the driveway into the apartment complex and parking lot, officers called for “back up” from the PPB Focused Intervention Team (FIT) and ECST.
See video of this shooting investigation, and hear a witness’ testimony:
One witness told East Portland News she heard shouting, followed by numerous gunshots within the apartment compound.
“A woman saw, from her apartment, a car pull up next to hers – and watched as two individuals attempted to steal her car,” PPB Public Information Officer Lt. Nathan Sheppard later told us. The woman called 9-1-1 for help.
Investigators and officers compare findings, after interviewing witnesses and residents.
“While she was watching, another vehicle pulled up near that first one and began shooting at it,” Sheppard reported.
“Those individuals, trying to steal the car returned fire, after which both cars took off,” Sheppard told us.
Officials aren’t saying whether this person, handcuffed and put into a patrol car, was actually booked into jail.
“Officers have someone associated with the first car in custody, and the second person is in the hospital after being shot,” said Sheppard.
If you have information related to his incident is asked to send that to crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov and reference Case No. 23-195057.
July 26
Robbery, kidnapping, sexual assault starts in Madison South; ends in Argay Terrace by way of Gresham
This establishment, in the Madison South neighborhood, was the target of a robber-turned-kidnapper-rapist.
What started as a “Robbery-with Weapon” call on July 26 12:35 a.m. at a bar in the Madison South neighborhood ended up as a kidnapping at gunpoint, sexual assault in Gresham, and a suicide in the Argay Terrace neighborhood.
PPB East Precinct officers responded to the Players Club PDX tavern, next to the Shell station, on 3442 NE 82nd Avenue of Roses, just south of Fremont Street.
There, officers learned that not only did the suspect rob the establishment at gunpoint just before closing time, he also took a woman hostage, and escaped from the location in a small sport utility vehicle belonging to the victim.
In the middle of the night, officers get a lead on where the suspect is – near Blue Lake, in Fairview.
The suspect headed east to Gresham, where the victim was sexually assaulted “with a gun to my head”, as recounted to a reporter. When the suspect stopped at a Plaid Pantry store on SE Stark Street near 223rd Avenue, the victim ran from her hijacked car – and called 9-1-1 at 2:43 a.m. from the store.
About 10 minutes later, a Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office deputy spotted the suspect vehicle in Fairview, and additional law enforcement officers flooded the area to assist. The suspect dodged one officer or deputy after another, as he sped westbound.
After a PPB officer used spike strips to deflate the fleeing car’s tires at NE Sandy Boulevard and 148th Avenue, the suspect stopped, ran from the hijacked vehicle seven blocks west along Sandy Boulevard.
Officers stop the suspect’s vehicle; he shoots at them. Courtesy KPTV FOX 12 News
The man started shooting at police as he ran; officers ducked for cover. Eventually, the PPB’s Air Support Unit located a “heat source” in a parking lot where the suspect was last seen. A PPB drone flew in for a closer look to confirm it was the suspect.
The suspect, later identified as 53-year-old Michael A. Story, appeared to have suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and was taken by ambulance to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries – where he later died.
-12 When officers approach him carefully, after sunrise, the suspect is found wounded. Courtesy KPTV FOX 12 News
A records search turned up that Story had been convicted of raping an 81-year-old woman in Happy Valley and sentenced to 16 years in prison for the crime in 2000.
The PPB’s Major Crimes Unit detectives’ investigation is ongoing. If you have information about this case, please e-mail crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov, attn: Major Crimes Unit and make reference to Case No. 23-195557.
July 26
Woman dies in Powellhurst-Gilbert roadside shooting
Here’s a wide-angle look at the intersection in the Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood, where a woman is found suffering critical gunshot wounds.
As many PPB officers and detectives were wrapping up the overnight armed robbery, kidnapping, and rape case, a “Shooting-with Weapon” call was sent out at 5:31 p.m. on July 26 to PPB East Precinct officers in the Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood.
On SE 111th Avenue, about 30 feet south of Harold Street, along the east side of the road, officers located an adult female with gunshot wounds.
Watch, as this daytime shooting homicide investigation gets underway:
After closing off the intersection, officers and detectives began looking in and around the vacant lot in the southeast corner of the intersection.
An officer and Homicide Unit detective eye the area where the woman was shot.
“Officers performed lifesaving efforts, including trauma first aid, prior to the arrival of emergency medical service providers,” a PPB official revealed. “Despite these efforts by officers and paramedics, the victim was deceased.”
In into the evening, this shooting investigation continues.
Shell casings were next to two yellow evidence markers in the street, just feet from the deceased.
“The suspect or suspects left the scene before police were called, and no immediate arrests were made,” was the cryptic comment made by the PPB official.
On July 28, officials revealed that the victim in this shooting homicide has been identified as 41-year-old Laura Guerrero-Rafaela, of Portland. The medical examiner determined that she died of homicide by gunshot wounds. Family provided image
If you have information about this gunshot murder case, contact Detective Shaye Samora at Shaye.Samora@police.portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-0768; or, Detective Tony Harris at Tony.Harris@police.portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-0441 – and refer to Case No. 23-196128.
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It doesn’t appear that “Portland Ceasefire” and its “street level outreach to reduce shootings” is doing little to make our neighborhoods safer.
What do you think?
© 2023 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™
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