‘Shots Fired’ calls continue across outer East Portland

It looks as if shootings in outer East Portland neighborhoods are not abating, but fortunately, no one was murdered by bullets – this week …

After one of the 42 shooting calls – that’s only counting the ones that were called in to the 9-1-1 Center – officers investigated another gunshot incident.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

It’s good that, in outer East Portland this week, no one died by gunshot this week. However, any plans to curb the shooting by the Commissioner of Police, Mayor Ted Wheeler, have not yet diminished appreciably the shootings here by violent people, exhibiting evil intent.

Combing through the log of Portland Police Bureau (PPB) incidents, provided by the Portland Bureau of Emergency Communications, for the past week – sorting out “Shots Fired” and all the “Shooting – with Weapon” calls – it’s clear that our East Precinct officers and members of the PPB’s Enhanced Community Safety Team (ECST) were kept very busy.

They were sent on a total of 42 shooting-involved – or “possible shooting” – calls within the last seven days. In four of those, officers found wounded victims.

July 8
Felon walks into hospital, with gunshot wound

This is the gun found, police officials say, after the person accidently shot themselves. PPB image

A “Shooting – Cold” incident report reached the PPB when a walk-in patient with a wound entered a hospital – since, by law, hospitals are required to report those who come in with gunshot injuries. It was Thursday afternoon, July 8.

“It was later learned the victim experienced a ‘negligent discharge’ of a gun,” a PPB official said. “The victim, who is now the suspect, is a convicted felon – and the firearm’s serial number had been removed.”

July 11
Homeless person shot in Powellhurst-Gilbert camp

West of where SE Franklin Street dead-ends at 109th Avenue, officers find “evidence of gunfire” along with a wounded person.

At the southeast edge of the Kelley Butte Natural Area, PPB East Precinct officers were dispatched on July 11 at 2:17 a.m. to a homeless camp near SE 109th Avenue and Franklin Street.

“Officers discovered 16 spent bullet casings, and one person suffering a non-life-threatening gunshot injury – the victim was transported to a nearby hospital,” a PPB official revealed.

Members of the PPB’s Enhanced Community Safety Team would appreciate information about this shooting; if you can help, email it to crimetips@portlandoregon.gov, and reference Case No. 21-188963.

July 12
Person shot in Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood

Yet another person is found shot in the Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood; fortunately, this wound is also considered to be “non-life-threatening”.

Both PPB East Precinct officers and emergency medical responders were dispatched on a “Shooting – with Weapon” at 10:29 p.m. on July 12, to an area that’s seen numerous shootings in the past months: SE 136th Avenue near Powell Boulevard, in the vicinity of a Plaid Pantry store.

“When officers arrived, they found a shooting victim with a non-life-threatening injury and gave the victim medical attention,” said PPB Public Information Officer Sergeant Kevin Allen about this incident. “The victim was transported to a local hospital in an ambulance.”

However, the suspect had departed before officers arrived at the scene,” Sgt. Allen commented.

If you have information about this shooting, please email it to crimetips@portlandoregon.gov, and reference Case No. 21-190853.

July 13
After a shooting, bullets pierce house; casings litter a Montavilla street

Bullet holes now perforate this Montavilla house; the street is littered with spent bullet casings. PPB provided images

Officers were dispatched at 1:46 a.m. to a “Shots Fired” call in the early hours of Tuesday, July 13, and they beheld an all-too-familiar sight at NE 94th Avenue where Irving Street dead-ends to the I-205 Freeway – yes, it was spent bullet casings littering the street.

There were 16 spent .223 caliber rifle casings, and nine bullet strikes to a home. No victims or suspects were found – they’d left prior to the officers’ arrival.

July 14
Intoxicated victim found shot, in Hazelwood

All is quiet at this Gateway District convenience now, but it’s where law enforcement officers found a “very high” person, who apparently had been shot, elsewhere else before ending up here.

In one of the more unusual outer East Portland “Shooting – with Weapon” calls lately, East Precinct overnight-shift officers were dispatched on July 14 at 3:17 a.m. to the parking lot of the 7-Eleven store on SE Washington Street at 101st Avenue.

“It began as a ‘hang-up’ call to the 9-1-1 Center at that location,” Sgt. Allen related. “Officers arrived to find a shooting victim drinking an energy drink and ignoring them.

“After talking to the store’s clerk, they learned that the subject drinking the energy drink had, in fact, been the 9-1-1 caller,” Sgt. Allen continued. “Officers then approached the man, who was very high on methamphetamine, and learned that he’d been shot in the back.”

It took some convincing, but the shooting victim did eventually accept an ambulance ride to the hospital with his non-life-threatening injury.

Officers were unable to locate any crime scene for this shooting, due to the degree of intoxication of the victim, and the lack of any information from him. The PPB’s ECST is following up on the case. Do you know more than the victim did could tell? Do you have information about this shooting? If so, email it to crimetips@portlandoregon.gov, and reference Case No. 21-192191.

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