Shootings, and injuries, plague East Portland

Police officials say they’re concerned about a 240% increase in July shootings over last year. Most of them are right here, in outer East Portland. Take a look …

From the Glenfair neighborhood to Mill Park, to Lents and the Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhoods, neighbors say they’re glad to see police on their street – after a shooting.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

According to Portland Police Bureau (PPB) statics, officers have been called to 17 shootings just in July so far, compared to five for the same timeframe last year – that’s a 240% year-over-year increase.

Six of those shooting incidents have been in outer East Portland neighborhoods, and left residences and vehicles shot up; some people have been wounded.

“I don’t know why some people are talking about getting rid of the police; we need more of them in our neighborhood,” said Mabel Jackson, after a daytime shooting down her street on July 5.

July 3: Mill Park neighborhood

Police find these bullet casings in a Mill Park neighborhood street, but fortunately, come across no injuries. PPB image

To a “Shots Fired” call dispatched at 10:39 p.m. in the 1200 block of 1200 SE 130th Avenue near SE Salmon Street, PPB East Precinct officers located 11 shell casings in the street, and three individual apartment units “with damage consistent with gunfire”. No injuries were reported.

July 5: Lents neighborhood

It wasn’t fireworks that brought officers to this Lents neighborhood street; it was gunshots.

At 11:09 a.m., the report of a bullet lodged in a front door of a home brought officers to SE 86th Avenue, between SE Flavel and Knapp Streets. “Officers located an expended bullet in the door jamb of the residence; but it was unclear when this happened, due to the loud explosions from fireworks throughout the night,” reported PPB Public Information Officer Derek Carmon, who added that no one was injured in that incident.

July 5: Near the Parkrose neighborhood

An ambulance comes to take a man, shot in the leg, to the hospital.

Just west of Parkrose, PPB North Precinct officers responded at 8:39 p.m. to the 5200 block of NE 91st Avenue on reports of a “male shot”. “Officers located the victim, an adult male, who had a leg wound; an officer applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding before the victim was transported to a local hospital, where his injuries were determined to be non-life-threatening,” Carmon informed.

“Officers have not been able to locate a crime scene, and it is unclear where this incident occurred,” he pointed out.

July 5: Lents neighborhood

Police block off the street where, across the street from Lent Elementary School, a drive-by shooting frightens neighbors, but doesn’t injure anyone.

East Precinct officers were dispatched to the 5200 block of SE 97th Avenue at 9:00 p.m. – directly across the street from Oliver P. Lent Elementary School.

One of bullet fired in this incident breaks this window in a Lents home. PPB image

Dispatchers told officers that multiple shots were fired in the direction of a Lents residence, were a family was having a barbeque.

“Officers learned that many people, including 10-15 children, were attending the family gathering; and fortunately, no one was injured,” Carmon said. “Multiple houses and a vehicle were struck by gunfire.”

July 8: Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood

Investigators find more than two dozen shell casings in the street, after this shooting. PPB image

At least 25 gunshots were fired near SE 134th Avenue and Harold Street, dispatching officers to the area at 9:28 p.m.

“Officers located more than 25 bullet casings in the street, and two vehicles struck by gunfire,” revealed Police Bureau spokesperson Carmon.

A bulled ripped through the roof liner of this car, just inches from the driver’s head. PPB image

“A 10 year-old girl sustained a non-life-threatening injury near her eye when glass from the vehicle she was a passenger in shattered from a stray bullet,” Carmon said.

The vehicle’s driver, the girl’s mother, revealed that a bullet had hurtled by, mere inches behind her head. “Also in the vehicle were children, ages 11, 9, and 7 – none of them was directly struck by the gunfire,” Carmon pointed out. “It does not appear that the vehicle occupied by the mother and children was related to the shooting incident in any way, and were unintended victims.”

July 8: Glenfair neighborhood

Police believe that more than one suspect fired shots that wounded one teenager.

At 10:27 p.m., East Precinct officers responded to numerous reports of shots heard at apartment buildings near SE 148th Avenue just south of E. Burnside Street. “One caller reported being injured by gunfire,” said PPB Public Information Officer Lieutenant Tina Jones. “Officers located a 16 year-old male with a gunshot wound to the leg. Officers applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding, and the juvenile was transported to an area hospital where he was treated and released.”

Officers located numerous spent bullet cartridges of different calibers in the area. “Preliminary information suggests this shooting involved subjects known to each other, and there is not an identified on-going risk to the community,” Jones said.

Help solve gun crimes
PPB is asking for the public’s help in solving these and other gun crimes. If you see a gun crime in progress, call 9-1-1. If you have information about these shootings, please call the PPB’s non-emergency line at 503-823-3333.

Or, to submit secure and anonymous tips to Crime Stoppers – and perhaps earn a cash reward for your information – call 503-823-4357; do report it online at their secure website: CLICK HERE.

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