One man is murdered, many others are wounded, as gun violence incidents shoot up this week – from Lents to Argay Terrace …
More than a dozen “shots fired” calls in outer East Portland keep Portland Police Bureau officers busy this week – including from Powellhurst-Gilbert to Wilkes, and other neighborhoods.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
High winds and choking, hazardous wildfire smoke immediately halted the downtown protesters this week, but the pungent air quality didn’t even slow down outer East Portland’s gun violence.
In fact, gun related incidents dramatically increased this week.
The week’s comprehensive compendium of gun violence below is further documentation that shooters continue to run wild, and leaves little doubt that the elected officials that Mayor Ted Wheeler, the Commissioner of Police – and members of the Portland City Council – should demand that the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) reinstate the Gun Violence Reduction Team, as residents have repeated requested, in our presence, at the scenes of these shootings.
September 11
Hazelwood shooting called a homicide
Here’s one of many officers called to investigate a deadly shooting, near the TriMet MAX Light Rail line.
A major intersection investigation in the Hazelwood neighborhood, East Burnside Street and SE 122nd Avenue, was closed, while Portland Police Bureau (PPB) East Precinct officers – and eventually Homicide Division officers – arrived to investigate a shooting on September 11. It was dispatched at 9:32 p.m.
“Officers responding to the incident located an adult male victim. They attempted lifesaving measures, but he was determined to be deceased on the scene,” PPB Public Information Officer Sergeant Kevin Allen reported.
Officials say this man, Christopher M. Klein, was murdered amidst gunfire in the Hazelwood neighborhood. Family provided photo via PPB
After an autopsy was performed by the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office, the deceased was identified as 30-year-old Christopher M. Klein of Portland. The cause and manner of death were in\deed determined to be homicide by gunshot wounds.
“No suspect information is being released.” Allen said – but he asked, if anyone has information about the shooting would they please contact Detective Brad Clifton at 503-823-0696 Brad.Clifton@portlandoregon.gov, or Detective Jennifer Hertzler at 503-823-1040 Jennifer.Hertzler@portlandoregon.gov.
September 11
More “Shots Fired” calls
Seven more shooting calls on September 11 called officers back into outer East Portland neighborhoods.
It continued to be a busy evening for East Precinct officers, as they responded to shooting calls across the area. PPB’s Sergeant Kevin Allen compiled the following list for East Portland News.
“While some are probably legitimate, I do caution readers that we regularly get ‘Shots Fired’ calls that turn out to be fireworks, cars backfiring, a neighbor watching a movie really loud, or some other loud noise,” Allen told us.
- 8:08 p.m. – Shots fired at SE 108th Avenue at East Burnside, evidence not located.
- 10:23 p.m. – Shots reported, nothing found at NE 141st Drive at Beech Court.
- 10:36 p.m. – Shots reported, nothing found near North Powellhurst Park at SE 138th Avenue and Main Street; but, at 11:05 p.m. a person with a gunshot wound showed up at a local hospital, but the connection to the “shots fired” call is unconfirmed.
- 11:32 p.m. – Bullet goes through front window of occupied home, but no injuries are reported near NE 127th Avenue and Freemont Street.
- 11:45 p.m. – A patient walks into a local hospital with a gunshot wound; the case is under investigation.
- 11:51 p.m. – Shots are reported near SE 87th Avenue near Division Street, but officers locate no evidence. However, at 11:56 p.m., a person walked into another local hospital with a gunshot wound, but isn’t suffering life threatening injuries – the connection to the “shots fired” call is under investigation.
- 11:59 p.m. – A minute before midnight, shots ring out near SE 91st Avenue and Duke Street, but no victims or evidence are located.
September 13
Man shot while stopped at traffic light, in Lents
After a man is shot along SE Foster Road, officers investigate.
Officers were dispatched to a shooting call on September 13at 10:47 p.m. along SE Foster Road, near the intersection of SE 82nd Avenue of Roses.
“Officers located an adult male victim shot in the hand; he was transported to the hospital with a non-life- threatening gunshot wound,” said PPB’s Sergeant Allen.
“The victim said that he saw a group of suspects attempting to break into vehicles nearby, and exchanged words with them; then, the suspects got into multiple vehicles and followed him a short distance on Foster Road until, he stopped at a red light at 82nd Avenue,” Allen related. “Someone from a suspect vehicle fired multiple shots into the victim’s vehicle, after which the suspects drove off. No suspect description is being released at this time but this investigation is continuing.”
September 17 – 2:54 p.m.
Midday shootout between two moving cars looks like a ‘gangster movie’
After a daytime shootout in the Foster-Powell neighborhood, officers look for bullet casings; the two vehicles involved had already sped away from the scene.
Occupants of two vehicles, driving side-by-side, southbound along SE 82nd Avenue of Roses at Powell Boulevard, opened fire on each other at that intersection on September 17, resulting in the dispatch of 22 PPB officers to the area at 2:54 p.m. Some officers closed down traffic lanes, while others looked for victims and evidence.
In addition to the people who called in the incident to the 9-1-1 Center, an East Precinct officer in the area at that time reported to police dispatch hearing gunshots nearby.
An officer watches as a colleague examines a bullet casing left behind when the occupants of two moving vehicles shot at each other in the Foster-Powell neighborhood.
“I was waiting for a bus, and it all happened real fast – bang, bang, bang, bang – these guys are shooting at each other, in broad daylight, then took off,” Ta’Neesha Williams told East Portland News. “This something like what you’d see in a gangster move, not on the street where I catch the bus every day!”
After noting its location and photographing it, this PPB officer deposits one of the many spent bullet casings into an evidence bag, at the scene of the daytime shooting.
PPB Public Information Officer Melissa Newhard confirmed, “It was learned the gunshots were coming from occupants of two separate vehicles that were firing at one another before fleeing the area.”
Later, Newhard revealed that one of those cars had finally been located on Mt. Scott, near the 11800 block of SE Flavel Street, in the Pleasant Valley neighborhood.
Spent bullet casings litter the street, after this – alas, now surprisingly common – daytime shooting took place.
“That vehicle showed evidence of being shot, and the driver’s-side window was damaged,” Newhard reported. “Two of the occupants, inside of the vehicle as officers arrived fled, but were later located and detained; one of the occupants has minor injuries due to gunfire.
“The other vehicle involved in the incident is still outstanding; this incident remains under investigation,” Newhard added.
September 17 – 4:16 p.m.
Parkrose shooting injures one person
Officers confer, at this – the scene of yet another daytime shooting.
At 4:16 p.m., on September 17, eleven North Precinct officers were called to look into a shooting in the parking lot of a building in the 11000 block of NE Sandy Boulevard.
“Officers located evidence of gunfire, including bullet casings,” a PPB official said.
Investigators later learned that a person with gunshot wounds, subsequently driven to an area hospital in a privately-owned vehicle, had been shot in the parking lot of that location, but hadn’t suffered any life-threatening-injuries.
“The shooter is still outstanding,” the official said.
September 17 – 8:25 p.m.
Vehicle struck by bullets in Hazelwood neighborhood
Police block the street while they investigate another shooting in Hazelwood.
When officers were sent to another “shots fired” call on Wednesday, September 16, at 8:25 p.m. – again on East Burnside Street, near SE 122nd Avenue – they found a stopped, but running, automobile that had been struck by bullets.
“No one was inside the vehicle, and no victims have been located; but several spent bullet casings were collected at the scene, as evidence,” said PPB Public Information Officer Melissa Newhard.
September 17 – 9:15 p.m.
Marine Drive shooting wounds one
A PPB cruiser blocks NE Marine Drive a 138th Avenue, while officers investigate a shooting, a dozen blocks to the west.
To the Argay Terrace neighborhood, in the 12500 block of NE Marine Drive, officers were called to a home on reports shooting at 9:15 p.m.
“Officers learned a victim had been shot, and had been transported to an area hospital by ambulance. The victim’s medical status is unknown at this time,” remarked the PPB’s Officer Newhard.
Traffic was diverted off NE Marine drive, between NE 33rd and 138th Avenue while the investigation was underway.
No further information is available.
© 2020 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™
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