Gunshot injuries shoot up in outer East Portland

Week #161 Shooting Report | INCLUDES TWO VIDEOS | SEE 18 PHOTOS | This week: A drug den shooting in Glenfair, a boy killed by a wounded DWII driver in Mill Park, a man murdered by gunshot in Centennial, and a man wounded in Powellhurst-Gilbert …

Portland Police officers, investigators, and detectives spent their days and nights looking into one shooting after another, this week.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

Portland Police Bureau (PPB) officers have again responded to dozens of “Shots Fired” calls this week. And there’ve actually been too many “Shooting-with Weapon” calls for us to track accurately over the past seven days.

Portland’s Police Commissioner, Mayor Ted Wheeler, offered a new “Portland Ceasefire” program on June 1. Yet, six weeks later, Portland is on track for experiencing a bloody and deadly summer not much different from last year.

As criminal behavior by violent people using guns increases, more and more outer East Portland residents say that the City of Portland’s latest scheme to curb shootings – a “$4.5 million investment in “Street Level Outreach” – is just not working.

Here’s this week’s major shooting-involved incidents.

July 7 at 6:01 a.m.
Glenfair man arrested in shooting

Just of SE Stark Street, police cars swarm this narrow, residential street, after a man shoots at a neighbor.

This incident started with a medical emergency call, but ended up with a man being arrested and charged for firing a gun – and being caught with a stash of guns and drugs – early on Friday morning, July 7.

At 6:01 a.m., a Bureau of Emergency Communications operator created a 911 “hang up call report” after receiving a call in which someone simply gave an address, and then just hung up.

The address was an apartment on a flag lot, just east of SE 157th Avenue, between Stark and East Burnside streets. At 6:15 a.m. a call-taker reported that the caller had called back and needed medical help. Ambulance medics responded, and briefly talked to the caller – who then went back into the apartment.

Man starts shooting at neighbor
At about the same time, the man’s neighbor came outside to get into his car. At 6:27 a.m., the paramedics then reported that the original caller came outside with a gun and started shooting at that neighbor. The paramedics took cover, and broadcast that shots were being fired and requested emergency police response. The neighbor, despite being under fire, was able to drive away safely, and was contacted later by police.

“Officers and Sergeants from East, Central, and North Precincts, as well as K9, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, and Gresham Police, dropped what they were doing and responded immediately,” a PPB official said.

An officer stands guard near a driveway to apartments where a man shot at his neighbor.

The officers began arriving at 6:32 a.m.; and there were quickly enough units to challenge the shooter, who surrendered immediately and was then safely taken into custody.

The PPB’s Enhanced Community Safety Team (ECST) pulled in to investigate. They interviewed the suspect, and applied for a search warrant on the home.

These are the guns, fentanyl and other contraband seized in the suspect’s apartment. PPB image

After the warrant was granted by a judge, officers searched the home and found three guns inside, as well as a large amount of fentanyl and other contraband – all of which was seized as evidence.

You are not allowed to see the booking photo of 38-year-old Robert Quincy Montgomery, charged with four Felonies and a Misdemeanor. Why not? CLICK HERE for details.

38-year-old Robert Quincy Montgomery was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center MCDC at 11:19 a.m. on charges of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, Attempted Assault in the First Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

Currently, Montgomery is being held without bail in Inverness Jail. This shooting incident was assigned the Case Number of  23-178164.

July 8 at 10:19 p.m.
Wounded DWII driver kills boy in Mill Park crash

After a high-speed crash on this heavily-traveled thoroughfare, police closed it down to investigate. PPB image

A shooting and fatal crash on Saturday evening, July 8, at SE 102nd Avenue and Washington Street brought in PPB East Precinct officers; and later members of the Bureau’s Traffic Division Major Crash Team (MCT), the Enhanced Community Safety Team (ECST), and the Focused Intervention Team (FIT).
Arriving East Precinct officers found two vehicles involved; one of them had rolled over.

A young occupant of the vehicle that had been smashed into by the speeding car had serious life-threatening injuries, and officers performed CPR in the street

11-year-old Ryan Ambrose lost his life after the vehicle  he was in was struck by a speeding out-of-control vehicle. Family provided photo

That passenger, 11-year-old Ryan Ambrose died shortly after arriving at the hospital.

The speeding driver – believed to have caused the accident – 29-year-old Duprie Dj Smith, was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries related to a pre-existing gunshot wound, and the crash itself.

Clearly, speeding at as much as 86 mph caused this crash to become deadly.

After he was released from the hospital, Smith was booked into the MCDC on July 9 at 7:24 a.m. on charges of Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants (DWII) and Manslaughter in the First Degree – and, later, Reckless Driving.

Even though he’s back on the streets after being charged with Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants – and Felony Manslaughter – you are no allowed to see the booking photo of 29-year-old Duprie Dj Smith.

In court on July 10, at Duprie Smith’s arraignment, court documents showed that via his lawyer  asserted that Smith been attending his brother’s funeral [at a location not disclosed] when an unknown assailant started shooting, and he was struck three times in the arm. Fearing that he was losing too much blood, he didn’t wait for an ambulance to arrive, and started to drive himself to a hospital.

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s office’s “probable cause” affidavit included video captured on the dash-cam inside Smith’s vehicle. “Defendant can be seen entering his vehicle, and driving erratically, making statements such as ‘where is the hospital’ and ‘I am going to die’,” as recorded in the affidavit.

That video is alleged to show Smith cutting through traffic at high speeds and running red lights before plowing into the sedan carrying the young victim, Ryan Ambrose, in an intersection.

This is the dash-cam video inside the speeding car which documents what led up to the crash, and its horrific impact. Courtesy KPTV Fox 12 News

Further, Smith’s vehicle data – the affidavit document states – indicates that he was traveling at 86 mph seconds before impact; and only one second before impact, heavy braking slowing the vehicle a bit to 72 mph – in a 30 mph speed zone.

“Notably, Defendant was traveling at such a high rate of speed that after the impact at SE Stark, his vehicle flipped over and yet still traveled an entire city block, coming to rest at SE Washington,” the affidavit continued.

The MCT investigation revealed that speed and alcohol impairment were primary factors in the crash.

Set free, without paying bail
For reasons unknown, the judge set Smith free, apparently immediately after his arraignment – without bail. Release Reason: Close Street Supervision. This shooting and fatal car wreck incident is Incident No. 23-179745.

By the way, this is the 34th crash-related fatality of 2023 in Portland, and the 6th in the previous 16 days – another setback for the goals of the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s Vision Zero program to eliminate traffic fatalities.

July 9 at 4:25 p.m.
Man dies in Centennial shooting

Before the sun sets, SE 174th Avenue is blocked off to allow detectives toinvestigate a fatal shooting. Courtesy KOIN TV 6 News

When gunshots sounded along SE 174th Avenue, a half block north of Mill Street, PPB East Precinct officers were dispatched at 4:25 p.m. “Upon arriving arrived, they found a man who was dead,” was the terse statement made by a PPB official about the case.

After nightfall, officers and investigators stand in front of the PPB Mobile Command Unit as the latest shooting homicide investigation continues.

Homicide Division detectives responded, and took over the investigation as the Bureau’s Mobile Command Unit and Forensics Division rolled up to the scene.

Here’s a video of this investigation, as it continues into the night:

“I heard the shots, but I wasn’t in a hurry to get out to the street and see what happened, because this isn’t the safest neighborhood,” a resident told East Portland News.

“This used to be a nice place to live; but now, there’s trouble of some kind happening all the time,” he added.

A PPB Homicide Division detectives points to where the shooter was likely standing.

For reporters, police vehicles blocking the narrow street from edge to edge made it difficult to see the investigation unfold.

Officials say that this man, 33-year-old Brandon Lee Allen, was murdered in the shooting. Family provided photo

On July 13, the PPB revealed that the victim in this homicide was 33-year-old Brandon Lee Allen. The Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed Allen’s manner and cause of death as homicide by gunshot wound.

“No one has been detained, and no arrests have been made,” said a police spokesperson.

Long into the evening, this Centennial neighborhood shooting continues.

If you have information about this incident, contact Detective William Winters William.Winters@police.portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-0466; or, Detective Jason Koenig Jason.Koenig@police.portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-0889 and refer to Case No. 23-180335.

July 12, at 8:06 p.m.
Powellhurst-Gilbert shooting injures man

Looking east along SE Powell Boulevard, officers and investigators collect evidence after a man has been shot.

Just a few yards west of SE 148th Avenue, along Powell Boulevard, a man fell into the street after being shot. Neighbors called 9-1-1 to report it; and PPB East Precinct officers were dispatched at 8:06 p.m.

“Another shooting, right here, across the street from my front yard!” a neighbor commented. as he observed the investigation unfold; “The City is spending money on everything but stopping these shootings.”

Investigators examine yellow evidence markers placed over spent bullet casings, in the center of SE Powell Boulevard.

Looking east along Powell Boulevard from the police roadblock at SE 148th Avenue, set yellow evidence markers in the northbound turn lane of the street marked where bullet casings had fallen.

Watch our video of this investigation as it wraps up, shortly after it began:

Other evidence markers were near a pair of shoes and other items, along the north shoulder of the street.

“Officers were dispatched to that location on the report of a shooting,” confirmed PPB Public Information Officer Lt. Nathan Sheppard.

After it was photographed and documented in place, an officer bags a spent bullet shell casing.

“When officers arrived, they found a man shot in the abdomen,” Lt. Sheppard continued. “The shooting victim survived, and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. The suspect had left before officers arrived.”

This shooting assigned Case Number 23-183238.

If you have information, or can provide any security camera video evidence that could help investigators with any shooting case, email it to crimetips@portlandoregon.gov – and be sure to include the relevant Case Number shown above. Or, tips can be sent to Crime Stoppers of Oregon, and perhaps you’ll qualify for a cash reward of up to $2,500.

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Hard as it might be to believe, here we are, publishing the 161st edition of the East Portland News “Weekly Shooting Report”.

For new readers who may wonder when the spike in shootings began, why, and who is responsible: CLICK HERE.

© 2023 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™

 

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