PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A 39-year-old man was shot to death in the early hours of Friday, the 64th shooting death in Portland in 2022.
Jonathan Dunbar died at the scene near SW 4th and Washington shortly after 2 a.m., authorities said. Once officers located the body, detectives from the Homicide Detail and criminalists from the Forensic Evidence Division were brought in.
The investigation shut down Southwest Washington Street from Southwest 2nd Avenue and Southwest 4th Avenue.
Police ask that anyone with information on the incident to contact Detective Sean Macomber at sean.macomber@police.portlandoregon.gov or Detective Jason Koenig at jason.koenig@police.portlandoregon.gov and reference case number 22-269190.
No suspect information was immediately released.
This also marks the city’s fifth homicide within seven days. Four of those killings happened over the weekend within 24 hours.
Portland police sergeant Kevin Allen said “I walk around downtown both at work and sometimes, you know, when I’m off duty and you know, for the most part I feel safe. But, I am also aware that these incidents have a cumulative traumatic effect on our community. And I understand why people are worried about that and I feel for them.”
KOIN 6 News reached out to all four city commissioners about violent crime in the city.
Commissioner Mingus Mapps responded “we continue to see an unprecedented and unacceptable level of violence in Portland. I will continue to support all of our public safety staff. This is a very challenging time, and we need to bring all of our systems back into alignment to keep Portlanders safe.”
Commissioner Carmen Rubio’s office said in part “please know that we took the lead, last year, in securing $4 million in grant monies for community groups to do both intervention work and long term work to reduce gun violence.” Rubio’s office added “we have been very clear that we support the police bureau filling all of their vacancies – and have funded recruitment and retention efforts.”
KOIN 6 News also reached out to Mayor Ted Wheeler’s office for an on-camera interview, however his office said he is working in Bend on Friday.