Quiet – and then a rash of outer East Portland shootings

Uniquely, nobody was murdered by vicious, gun-shooting criminals this week. But, those people were still shooting up areas in Hazelwood, Centennial, and Montavilla …

Nowadays, it seems commonplace for outer East Portland streets to be littered with spent bullet casings. Frightening, isn’t it?

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

Looking at “Shots Fired” calls among all police dispatches during the past week, it was difficult to tease out the real shooting incidents from the “Illegal Fireworks” calls over the long 4th of July weekend.

With only 18 “Shots Fired” calls logged in outer East Portland – and no shooting evidence found at most incidents – it seemed it was a fairly safe week in our area.

Until, that is, July 8. Portland Police Bureau (PPB) officers investigated three shootings – where evidence was found – just hours apart.

July 8: 2:55 a.m.
Shots in Hazelwood

fficers find evidence of gunfire after a shooting in the Hazelwood neighborhood, near a TriMet MAX Light Rail line.

PPB East Precinct officers were dispatched to NE 102nd Avenue and East Burnside Street in the wee hours of July 8, at 2:55 a.m.

Once there, officers found that an apartment in building on the northwest corner of the intersection had been struck by bullets. There was nobody inside the unit when officers arrived, however, and nobody seemed to have been injured. But officers found more than 10 cartridge casings at the scene.

If you have information about this shooting, please email it to crimetips@portlandoregon.gov, and reference Case No. 21-185779.

July 8: 4:04 a.m.
Apartments shot up in Centennial

The evidence of shots fired near these apartments in Centennial was easy for officers to find.

Officers were later dispatched on July 8, this time at 4:04 a.m., to another “Shots Fired” report. This one was on SE Alder Street, near 160th Avenue just north of the Lynwood Friends Church Community Garden.

Here, officers found that that two separate apartments had been hit by bullets, although again apparently nobody was injured. Investigators did come across at least 10 bullet cartridge casings there, though.

If you have any information about this shooting, please email it to crimetips@portlandoregon.gov, and reference Case No. 21-185801.

July 8: 4:52 a.m.
Montavilla house struck by bullets

Officers take a close look at the bullet casings left behind after this shooting in Montavilla.

While some officers were investigating the Centennial shooting on July 8, others were sent at 4:52 a.m. to the Montavilla neighborhood to look into yet another “Shots Fired” call. This one was along SE 89th Avenue near Hawthorne Boulevard, a block west of the I-205 freeway.

Arriving officers found that both a house and a car had been hit by bullets, but once again, nobody was found to be injured. There were at least 20 cartridge casings left at the scene.

Should you have information about this shooting, please email it to crimetips@portlandoregon.gov, and reference Case No 21-185814.

In 2021 there have been nearly 600 shooting incidents across the entire City of Portland, and nearly 200 people wounded by gunfire – and as you well know, many of them have been in outer East Portland.

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