FBI agents were seen working beside an evidence truck outside the Adventist hospital in Portland on Thursday as the investigation continued. Reuters
Two people suffered gunshot wounds after an encounter with U.S. federal agents outside a hospital in Portland, Oregon, on Thursday. The incident happened just one day after a fatal shooting involving an immigration officer in Minneapolis, adding to growing unease in several American cities.
Police in Portland confirmed that officers first responded to reports of a shooting near the Adventist hospital campus in east Portland. Soon after, police received a call from a man about three kilometres away who said he had been shot and needed help.
Victims Taken to Hospital
When officers arrived at the second location, they found a man and a woman with visible gunshot injuries. Police provided first aid, including a tourniquet, and rushed both victims to hospital. Authorities later confirmed that federal agents had fired the shots.
Police have not released details about the victims’ conditions. However, local sources said one person suffered a leg wound while the other took a shot to the chest. Both remained alive as of Thursday evening.
Federal Account of Events
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said border patrol agents had stopped a vehicle while searching for a man suspected of having ties to a Venezuelan gang. According to the statement, agents opened fire after the driver tried to run them over.
“Fearing for his life and safety, an agent fired a defensive shot. The driver drove off with the passenger, fleeing the scene,” the spokesperson said.
Mayor Questions Federal Claims
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson expressed doubt about the federal version of events during a news conference.
“We know what the federal government says happened here. There was a time when we could take them at their word. That time is long past,” he said.
Portland Police Chief Bob Day said the matter now falls under federal authority. “This is a federal investigation. It’s being led by the FBI,” he said.
Calls to Pause Immigration Operations
The shooting sparked strong reactions from local leaders. U.S. Representative Maxine Dexter said both injured people survived but doctors had not yet confirmed how serious their wounds were.
She called on immigration authorities to leave the city. “ICE has done nothing but inject terror, chaos, and cruelty into our communities,” Dexter said. “Trump’s immigration machine is using violence to control our communities – straight out of the authoritarian playbook. ICE must immediately end all active operations in Portland.”
Wilson echoed that call, urging a pause until investigators complete their work. “We cannot sit by while constitutional protections erode and bloodshed mounts,” he said.
Protests and Pleas for Calm
The incident stirred memories of protests last year outside an immigration detention facility in Portland. By Thursday evening, about 100 demonstrators gathered near city hall, chanting slogans against immigration enforcement.
Senator Jeff Merkley urged calm, warning against unrest. Police leaders repeated that message as tensions remained high nationwide following the Minneapolis shooting.
