PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – An Uber passenger was killed and his driver was injured in a North Portland shooting Tuesday night, the rideshare company said.
The Portland Police Bureau said officers responded to a report of shots fired on North Terry Street, near North Interstate Avenue, shortly before midnight Tuesday.
At the scene, officers found two people with gunshot injuries inside a car. Police said the man in the passenger seat, who has been identified as 25-year-old Zamere A. Bentley, died at the scene. His death has been determined as a homicide by gunshot wound, PPB said.
The man in the driver’s seat was taken to the hospital with significant injuries.
Neighbors say they’re heartbroken about the shooting, which has left them scared in their own community.
“I was on my patio, hanging out watching a movie, drinking wine, I heard a very loud double volley of gunshots,” Susan Funk told KOIN 6 News. “So I came out, saw there’s police. I could see the victim on the ground.”
Although a Portland Police Bureau spokesperson was not able to immediately confirm, Uber identified the driver in a statement as Josiah Kuehl.
“The details surrounding the violent attack against Mr. Kuehl and the rider are terrifying, and our thoughts are with everyone involved during this difficult time. We hope the police are able to arrest those responsible quickly and are standing by to assist however we can,” an Uber spokesperson said.
Uber said it is working on reaching out to Kuehl to check on his well-being and offer support. The company has a public safety team that is ready to help law enforcement with the investigation.
The Portland Police Homicide Unit is investigating the shooting. North Terry Street was closed between North Fenwick Avenue and North Interstate Avenue during the investigation.
This shooting comes amid an ongoing wave of gun violence, and a hefty report released Saturday by Mayor Ted Wheeler’s office. That report laid out data on Portland’s skyrocketing rates of homicides and non-fatal shootings.
Anyone with information about the incident on N Terry Street is asked to contact Detective Sean Macomber at Sean.Macomber@portlandoregon.gov or Detective Rico Beniga at Rico.Beniga@portlandoregon.gov, or call 503-823-0457. The case number is 22-193861.