Two individuals were shot by federal agents in Portland, Oregon, on Thursday, as confirmed by local police. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that the shooting involved agents from Customs and Border Protection.
As night fell, hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in downtown Portland. City police cautioned the protesters to avoid blocking roadways and comply with the law, warning that failure to do so could lead to arrests and the potential use of “impact munitions or other physical force.”
By midnight, approximately 60 to 90 protesters remained at the scene, though most were simply standing around, and the roads were clear, reported Amanda Arden.
Portland Police Chief Bob Day announced in a press conference that a man and a woman were wounded in the incident and had been hospitalized, though their conditions and identities have not been disclosed.
The DHS indicated that Border Patrol agents had stopped a vehicle in search of a Venezuelan individual they believe to be in the U.S. illegally and affiliated with the Tren de Aragua gang. After identifying themselves, agents claimed that the driver “weaponized his vehicle” in an attempt to run over them.
“Fearing for his life and safety, an agent fired a defensive shot,” the DHS reported, adding that the driver fled the scene with his passenger.
The shooting took place around 2:18 p.m. local time in the Hazelwood neighborhood of East Portland. Upon receiving a 911 call, local police arrived and confirmed that federal agents were involved in the shooting, as stated by Chief Day.
About six minutes later, officers responded to another location about three miles away, where they discovered the man and woman with gunshot wounds.
“Officers determined that the two people who were injured were involved in the earlier shooting with the federal agents,” Day said. The victims were quickly transported to a hospital.
Federal officers were present at both the original scene and the secondary location, according to Day.
Local authorities have not yet confirmed which federal agency was involved in the shooting, and Day refrained from commenting on the DHS statement, noting that he was unaware of the number of federal officers present.
“At this time, we do not know if this is an immigration-related event. We do not know which federal agencies are involved,” Day added. He emphasized that it was still early in the investigation, and the cause remained unclear.
Chief Day informed reporters that the FBI is leading the investigation into the shooting.
“This is a federal investigation being led by the FBI,” he stated, while noting that the role of Portland police would be minimal in terms of investigative and perimeter support.
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek expressed her outrage at the incident, describing it as “another terrible, unnecessary violent event instigated by a reckless agenda of the Trump administration.” She demanded transparency and cooperation from the federal government with local law enforcement and the Multnomah County District Attorney.
Kotek acknowledged that she had not yet communicated with any White House officials regarding the incident.
The shooting comes a day after a separate incident in Minneapolis, where 37-year-old Renee Good was shot and killed by an ICE officer. In that case, DHS officials claimed that Good had “weaponized her vehicle,” although Minnesota authorities and video evidence have raised doubts about that assertion.
“Our community deserves answers, our community deserves accountability, and most of all, our community deserves peace,” said Portland Mayor Keith Wilson during the briefing. He emphasized the need to protect constitutional rights and called on ICE to halt operations in Portland until a thorough investigation is completed.
A Portland City Council session was abruptly recessed on Thursday after members were informed of the shooting.
Democratic Senator Ron Wyden criticized the deployment of federal agents in the city, stating it was exacerbating violence and called for an end to such actions. Fellow Senator Jeff Merkley urged protesters to remain peaceful, warning against falling into traps set by the administration.
Portland has been a focal point for ongoing protests against the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Recently, hundreds of National Guard troops were deployed to the city to protect federal assets and personnel involved in immigration operations.
Last week, President Trump announced that he would withdraw National Guard troops from Portland, Chicago, and Los Angeles, following a federal court ruling against his administration’s actions, but cautioned that they would return if crime rates increased.
