Shootings kill two more, in Lents and Parkrose

We’d hoped to have a second “deadly-shooting-free” week; but violent folks with guns keep killing people in outer East Portland …

First in Lents, then in Parkrose, gunshot slaughter brings law enforcement out to investigate.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

Of the 27 “Shots Fired” calls logged this week in outer East Portland, two turned out to be fatal. Portland Police Bureau (PPB) officials call them homicides.

Through the end of April, there have been 136 shooting incidents logged just in PPB’s East Precinct, a 60% increase over 2020.

May 9
Man murdered by gunfire at Lents house party

To help them quell what officers told dispatchers was a “chaotic scene”, PPB calls for back up from Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office Deputies.

At 12:57 a.m. on Sunday, May 9, PPB East Precinct officers were dispatched to what started out as a “shots fired” call in the 8500 block of SE Harney Street – a street that borders Clackamas County. What they found there caused the response to turn into a murder investigation.

“When officers arrived, they encountered a chaotic scene, with what appeared to be a house party underway; deputies from the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office responded to assist with the large crowd,” a PPB official reported.

Responding paramedics pack up, after discovering that the wounded man they came to help was deceased.

It didn’t take long for officers to come across a man who was injured and unconscious. Portland Fire & Rescue and AMR paramedics tried to save the man’s life, but he expired at the scene. Due to the circumstances, PPB Homicide Detectives were called in to investigate a homicide.

This man, 21-year-old Jemare Lowell Manns, became the 29th homicide in Portland so far in 2021. Family-provided photo via PPB

On May 10, Portland Police revealed that the victim in this incident was 21-year-old Jemare Lowell Manns; the Medical Examiner determined the death to be a “homicide by gunshot”.

“Many people who may have witnessed all or part of this incident are believed to have left the scene before speaking to police, and investigators would like to hear from them,” the police official requested.

Anyone with information about this incident – it’s PPB Case No. 21-124320 – is asked to contact Detective Brian Sims at Brian.Sims@portlandoregon.gov (503) 823-2079 or Detective Scott Broughton at Scott.Broughton@portlandoregon.gov (503) 823-3774.

May 12
In Parkrose, a shooting kills the stepson of an anti-violence activist

Officers close down NE Sandy Boulevard, as PPB Homicide Detectives begin their murder investigation. Image courtesy of KGW-TV

PPB North officers were dispatched on Wednesday, May 12, at 5:27 p.m., to a “Shooting-with Weapon” call in a food pod court in a parking lot along NE Sandy Boulevard, near 118th Avenue.

There, officers found a dead victim; so PPB Homicide Detectives were brought in to conduct an investigation.

The following day, the only further information released to the press about this shooting was, “The Oregon State Medical Examiner has determined the cause and manner of death is homicide by gunshots.”

Killed in this shooting was 33-year-old Jalon M. Yoakum; he’s Portland’s 31st homicide victim this year. Family-provided photo, via PPB

The gunshot victim was identified as 33-year-old Jalon M. Yoakum. According to published reports, Yoakum is the son of Twauna Hennessee, and the stepson of Pastor J.W. Matt Hennessee, who leads the Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church. Pastor Hennessee has been an outspoken campaigner against the marked increase in Portland’s shootings – urging Mayor Ted Wheeler and members of the Portland City Council to increase the police force, as well as to add community resources.

If anyone has information about this incident – it’s PPB Case No. 21-128082 – please contact Detective Jason Koenig Jason.Koenig@portlandoregon.gov (503) 823-0889 or Detective William Winters William.Winters@portlandoregon.gov (503) 823-0466.

Comments are closed.