Learn how incidents like a “stolen car stop” in Powellhurst-Gilbert, and late‑night gunfire in Centennial, turned outer East Portland’s holiday week into a busy stretch for Portland Police …
Portland Police Bureau officers work a busy July 4th holiday week in outer East Portland, responding to a stolen-car stop with guns and narcotics, a Powell Boulevard shooting, and another gunfire callout in a Centennial apartment building.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
East Portland’s Fourth of July holiday stretch featured a stolen car packed with guns and narcotics, a woman seriously wounded in a Powell Boulevard shooting, and officers racing to a “Shooting” call at a Centennial apartment.
All three incidents unfolded within just five days, keeping East Precinct officers and Portland Police Bureau (PPB) gun-violence investigators busy, from Powellhurst-Gilbert to Centennial.
Saturday, July 4 ~ 11:55 a.m.
Stolen car stop in Powellhurst-Gilbert turns up guns and drugs
In the Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood, at about 11:55 a.m. on Saturday, July 4, 2026, an East Precinct officer on routine patrol in the area of SE 130th Avenue and Center Street stopped a suspicious vehicle with switched license plates.
An East Precinct officer looks into the back of his SUV cruiser during a Powellhurst-Gilbert traffic stop that turns up a stolen vehicle loaded with guns and narcotics.
According to Portland Police Bureau Public Information Manager Mike Benner, the officer contacted the driver, determined the vehicle had been reported stolen, and began an inventory search.
That inventory turned up two loaded firearms, along with drugs and drug paraphernalia inside the vehicle, Benner reported.
Guns, ammunition, suspected drugs and digital scales are displayed as evidence at PPB East Precinct following a stolen-car stop in Powellhurst-Gilbert in July 4th. PPB provided image
The driver, 36-year-old Steven Lawrence Lagrew of Portland, was taken into custody at the scene. According to jail records, Lagrew was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center (MCDC) at 12:20 p.m. on July 4 on charges of:
Delivery of fentanyl (B Felony) – two counts
Possession of fentanyl – felony (C Felony)
Possession of heroin – felony (B Felony)
Possession of methamphetamine – felony (C Felony)
Felon in possession of a firearm (C Felony) – two counts
Possession of cocaine – felony (C Felony)
Possession of methadone – felony (C Felony)
Delivery of methamphetamine (B Felony)
Delivery of heroin (A Felony)
Delivery of cocaine (B Felony)
Carrying a concealed weapon (B Misdemeanor)
Felon in possession of a restricted weapon (A Misdemeanor)
Possession of a loaded firearm in a public place (U Misdemeanor)
Even though he’s facing 15 charges, including a dozen felonies, MCDC records show that Lagrew was released on July 6, on a “Court Release on own Recognizance”.
Sunday, July 5, 2026 ~ 1:49 a.m.
Dozens of shots fired; woman wounded near SE Powell Boulevard
Police units line SE Powell Boulevard in the wee hours, as East Precinct officers investigate reports of dozens of shots fired — which left a woman wounded in the Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood.
Again in the Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood, early on Sunday, July 5th, at 1:49 a.m., officers assigned to East Precinct responded to reports of shots fired in the 12400 block of SE Powell Boulevard.
When officers arrived, they found an adult woman suffering from a serious gunshot wound.
The ambulance is about pull away so paramedics can rush the wounded woman to a hospital after a late-night shooting in the Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood.
She was taken by ambulance to a hospital for treatment. After medical care, her injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, according to Benner.
At the scene, officers documented what Benner described as “evidence of dozens of rounds being fired”. They interviewed witnesses and collected shell casings and other physical evidence. The Enhanced Community Safety Team was activated, and arrived to take over the investigation as a gun-violence case.
If you have information about this incident, and have not spoken with police, use their Contact Page [CLICK HERE], and refer to Case No. 26-194483.
Thursday, July 9 ~ 3:38 a.m.
‘Shooting with Weapon’ call in Centennial apartment building
An East Precinct officer stands outside an apartment building in the as police investigate a shooting in the Centennial neighborhood.
In the Centennial neighborhood, on Thursday, July 9, 2026, at 3:38 a.m., officers were dispatched to a shots fired report in the 15200 block of SE Powell Boulevard.
Mike Benner told East Portland News that responding officers determined that an individual had been firing a gun inside his own apartment. Despite the gunfire, no one was struck by bullets, and no injuries were reported.
An ambulance pulls away from the Centennial apartment building, carrying the individual who reportedly swallowed drugs after firing a gun inside his unit.
Officers took the individual into custody at the scene. Because the person had possibly ingested drugs, the suspect was transported to a hospital for further evaluation and treatment – from which he was released into the custody of awaiting officers.
40-year-old Jeffery Scott Zimmer was the suspect later identified by Portland Police. Zimmer was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center (MCDC) at 12:38 p.m. on July 9 on numerous charges:
Felon in possession of a restricted weapon (A Misdemeanor)
Felon in possession of a firearm (C Felony)
Reckless endangering another person (A Misdemeanor) – four counts
Criminal mischief in the third degree (C Misdemeanor)
Unlawful use of a weapon (C Felony) – four counts
Disorderly conduct in the second degree (B Misdemeanor)
Originally, the MCDC records show Zimmer as still behind bars, with his projected release date shown as “unknown” – however his file has been updated to show that he’s being held in lieu of $30,000 bail.
If you have information about this incident, and have not spoken with police, use their Contact Page [CLICK HERE], and refer to Case No. 26-198736.
Calls for help outpace available officers during July 4 stretch
From the day and evening of July 4 into Sunday morning, Benner told East Portland News that the shooting unfolded during a period when calls for service far outstripped the number of officers available all across Portland.
Even with extra resources on hand, there was a significant gap between Portland Police staffing and the demand for police services citywide, he said, with more than 100 calls for service stacking up in the queue at one point – with no responders available.
Together, the shooting and backlog of unassigned calls illustrated how quickly a busy holiday period could overwhelm the already stretched-thin police resources in Portland.
© 2026 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™
