PPB: Half of shootings in Portland are gang-related

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — At least two teenagers were shot in Portland over the weekend in separate incidents that PPB says might be gang-related.

KOIN 6 News talked to the Office of Violence Prevention, who said their community partners – outreach folks – were very busy over the weekend responding to these shootings.

Portland police say a 15-year-old boy was shot and injured on Friday around 5 p.m. The next day, a teenage girl was shot and injured outside the Barlow Tavern in North Portland.

Last Monday, a student was shot near Jefferson High School. A few weeks before that, two students were shot next to the high school.

Lt. Ken Duilo, who leads PPB’s Focused Intervention Team, the latest police unit that focuses on gun violence, says they are trying to determine if the shootings are connected — he wouldn’t say if the shootings were gang-related.

“I can tell you officially, we believe a lot of these recent shootings are connected and are working hard to try to figure out what’s behind them,” he said. “The official stance of the police bureau is if it’s a gang shooting, we’ll call it a gang shooting. I think we’re sensitive around overusing that term or throwing it out there if it doesn’t necessarily apply because it affects minority communities and we understand that.”

According to the PPB, approximately 50% of shootings in Portland are gang-related.