PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Nearly a week after Zackary Harris died from a gunshot wound, his father is asking anyone with information on the shooting to come forward.
On March 16, Portland police received the first call of a shooting in Northeast Portland at 8:23 p.m. When the first officer arrived 3 minutes later, police said Harris was found with a gunshot wound near the overpass underneath Cesar Chavez Boulevard off Halsey.
Medics transported the 31-year-old to the hospital where he was fighting for his life. His father said he died from his wounds a week later.
Joel Harris said his son was homeless and fighting addiction — but that recently, he was making efforts to reconnect with family.
He said Zackary had been living near the area of the shooting at Northeast 40th & Halsey. The area was a high-density encampment with many tents and people living there when the shooting happened.
Businesses right across the street from the shooting told KOIN 6 News they closed at 6 p.m. or 8 p.m., so they were not around when the gunshots went off. But, they said the area gets eery when the sun goes down.
Signs posted from the city of Portland show that the day after the shooting they notified campers they had 10 days to vacate.
With this shooting now turning fatal, PPB said Zackary’s death has become a homicide investigation.
Zackary leaves behind a 13-year-old son, an 8-year-old daughter and a sister.
His father is asking witnesses to bring any bits of information to detectives as every little bit helps crack a case.