No injuries reported after shots fired outside Wood Village Fred Meyer

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Authorities responded to a shooting that unfolded in Wood Village on Friday afternoon.

Just before 5 p.m., about 10 units were on the scene of a reported shooting near the Fred Meyer at Glisan and 223rd. The Multnomah County Sherrif’s Office says it appears that two parties were shooting at each other outside the store.

Officials said multiple vehicles were hit by gunfire, along with the front of the store.

According to a Fred Meyer spokesperson, they are “working with local law enforcement as they investigate an altercation that occurred outside the store in the parking lot.”

After about an hour on the scene, MCSO confirmed to KOIN 6 News they detained a “person of interest” connected to the shooting at an apartment complex on Lincoln Street in Fairview. On Saturday authorities said that person was released and no arrests were made.

Both the Fred Meyer spokesperson and MCSO say there are no known victims at this time.

One witness who is an employee at a nearby business says they heard gunshots, locked the business and everyone inside was staying away from windows.

“I was just ringing up customers and all of a sudden I heard popping noises,” said Kenzie Bates who works at the Pico Berry frozen yogurt shop next door. 

Bates told KOIN 6 News, “I thought maybe it was a car, or fireworks, or something like that but then people started running and ducking and I realized that it was gunshots. Two people firing back and forth.” 

After she realized there was an active shooting steps away from the store, Bates said she and her fellow employees quickly locked the door and moved everyone to the back shop.

“I kind of froze, then I told my coworker to get inside, and we locked the door,” Bates recalled. “I went in the back and called my family. It was just really scary.”

Pico Berry was not the only store to shut their doors amid the gunfire. Malia, who works at Theresa’s Country Feed & Pet Employee around the corner from the shooting, said she also heard the shots before she sprang into action. 

“I just saw people running into the store, and at that moment I’m like, ‘we need to lock down, we need to get everybody in,’” Malia Told KOIN 6 News. “We were trying to get everybody in and get everybody to the back room because we didn’t know if they were going to drive by or what. So, it was pretty scary.”  

Meanwhile, small business employees who witnessed the parking lot shootout told KOIN 6 News the event has left them feeling shaken.

“I’ve never experienced being near something like that,” Bates said. “So, I am a little bit anxious to just go out in public and do normal things that should be safe.”

“Everybody thinks this is a nice area, so it’s scary,” Malia said. “There are a bunch of small businesses throughout here, and we don’t want this in our area.”

The Wood Village Fred Meyer closed early due to the shooting; signs posted at the front entrance Friday state that the store plans to reopen at 7 a.m. tomorrow.