‘Freeway shooter’ wounds man on I-205

How a man was shot – and why he was discovered at side of the freeway in the Lents neighborhood – remain a mystery. See what we’ve uncovered so far …

Friends say they’re puzzled why anyone would want to shoot at this man, 29-year-old Brian Tierney, who they say was driving home from choir practice on a rainy night.

By David F. Ashton
Throughout the better part of the evening, starting at 10:13 p.m. on Wednesday, March 28, Portland Police Bureau (PPB) officers and detectives were swarming around a blue 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt 4-door, stopped on the shoulder of southbound I-205 near the SE Division Street off ramp.

Police shut down the freeway, diverting all traffic up and over SE Division Street as they examined a car with both the rear and driver’s side windows apparently shot out.

Inside the car, they’d found 29-year-old Brian Tierney, bleeding from multiple gunshot wounds. “Officers and medical personnel arrived,” reported PPB Public Information Officer Sgt. Peter Simpson, “and the victim was transported to an area hospital for treatment.”

Detectives say this image isn’t actually the victim’s car; it’s a model identical to the car of the victim who was found shot along I-205, presented to the public in hopes of jogging a memory from motorists.

Officials are refusing to speculate how Tierney, who remains in critical condition, may have been shot. But, based on their initial investigation, detectives said this shooting does not appear to be “any kind of sniper situation”, Simpson added.

“Anyone who saw this car pulled over to the right side of southbound I-205 at approximately Division Street around 10:00 p.m. Wednesday, or saw any other vehicles, or any kind of suspicious activity in the same area or along the freeway north of Division, is asked to contact Portland Police,” said Simpson.

Here’s another view of a similar vehicle released by detectives – hoping it will spur a witness’ memory.

A married father of a daughter, Tierney is reportedly the choir director at his church and a singer with the Portland Opera as a “chorus alternate tenor”. Friends say they’re shocked and assume Tierney was driving home after choir practice when the shooting took place.

“Detective Paul Dolbey can be reached at (503) 823-0451, or Paul.Dolbey@PortlandOregon.gov.”

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