PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A shooting in Northeast Portland Saturday afternoon left one person dead and the shooter or shooters at large.
Gunnar Peterson told KOIN 6 News he was relaxing at his home in the Eliot neighborhood when he heard the shot around 2 p.m. at NE 1st and Hancock.
“I was just on the couch and I heard a pop. I stood up and turned around and I saw the deceased fall to the ground, and the shooter get away,” Peterson said. “Going through my head was just like, ‘try not to get shot,’ you know, ‘try not to let them see that I am watching them.’ So I was just kind of peering through the window and ducking down and trying to stay out of sight.”
With police on the line, Peterson said he watched as the shooter got in a car and take off toward Williams Street.
The victim, whose name has not yet been released, had already died by the time officers arrived.
No immediate arrests were made and the investigation remains open and active. Homicide detectives are involved.
KOIN 6 News records show this is the 8th homicide in Portland in 2023, and the sixth fatal shooting. However, that is far below the 21 homicides to this point just one year ago.
Peterson said shootings don’t normally happen in the Eliot neighborhood.
“We’ve had a big houseless camp here, and so there’s been other things we’ve had to deal with. But as far as deadly shootings, that doesn’t really happen around here,” he said.
Still, Peterson wishes more would be done about the violence.
“Obviously, the police are hard at work and there’s only so much you can do. But no, I don’t think there’s enough being done, I think there could be more done always.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact:
- Detective William Winters, William.Winters@police.portlandoregon.gov 503.823.0466
- Detective Jason Koenig, Jason.Koenig@police.portlandoregon.gov 503.823.0889