PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A 16-year-old was arrested by authorities at David Douglas High School in Portland and charged with second-degree murder following a Gresham shooting in May, police announced Thursday.
On May 18, Gresham Police responded to a reported shooting on SE 190th Ave. and SE Yamhill St. where they found 55-year-old Leonard Madden suffering from gunshot wounds. Madden was taken by ambulance to a hospital where he later died. Officials ruled his death as homicide by gunfire.
Gresham police said while investigating the case, they received a report that the 16-year-old male suspect may have been planning to bring a gun to Centennial High School. After this report, GPD said search warrants were served to two locations near SE 190th Ave. and SE Clinton St.
According to police, a vehicle left one of the locations and picked up the suspect. Officers were able to stop the car as it pulled into David Douglas High School and took the suspect into custody. Three other people in the car were released from the scene. Investigators noted a handgun was in plain view in the vehicle.
“Our major crimes team was involved in the investigation and followed up on a lot of leads,” said Ofc. Adam Baker with Gresham Police. “I don’t know if he’s a student, I don’t know if he’s a former student … I don’t know what his connection is other than it’s fairly close to where he was at.”
The suspect was lodged at Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention Center, accused of second-degree murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful use of a weapon in relation to Madden’s death.
“We want to ensure the safety of students and staff at all of schools, in all of our city,” said Baker. “There’s certainly an uptick in gun violence, not only in Portland-Metro area, but across the country.”
In a statement, Gresham Police Chief Travis Gullberg said “we empathize with the trauma our community is experiencing because of continued gun violence. The Gresham Police Department is committed to tirelessly working on this issue and addressing the root causes. We are thankful for our strong community partnerships with other law enforcement agencies and social resources as we strive to put an end to the violence.”
Jami Seymore contributed to this story.