PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A series of gunshots left 2 people wounded in downtown Portland Friday night as investigators continue to search for whoever pulled the trigger.
The shooting near SW 12th and Columbia sent both people to the hospital by ambulance, officials said. One was shot in the torso while the other suffered a grazing wound. Both are expected to recover.
Haley Marcus and her boyfriend Terrence told KOIN 6 News they were relaxing in their Southwest Portland apartment when they heard a single gunshot — and then several more.
“It was probably about 6 shots right after, like, 6 more gunshots and they were just super-consecutive, like, ‘boom, boom, boom, boom, boom,'” Haley said.
They said they stepped outside and saw what they think were the 2 victims walking up the street.
“He had somebody with him that was helping him walk. And he just said, ‘Come on, let’s keep walking.’ That’s all I got. Because they made it right past the corner before I could even see if he was alright or nothing,” Terrence said.
Haley said one was “kind of like hunching over walking, like, in this direction. And then when we just went up there to watch. They had, like, an ambulance and everything. So, we’re just guessing that that had to have been a victim of some sort.”
She said she tried to call the police. “Of course, I’m like, ‘I bet a billion people right now are trying to call the police.’ And so, they got here quick enough, so hopefully they find whatever they need to find and then hopefully the person is OK.”
While the number of shootings is decreasing, statistics show the city still has a long way to go.
Portland Police Bureau data shows a nearly 31% decrease in shootings (392 to 268) between January and March 2023 compared to last year. Data for April and this part of May is not yet available.
But compared to the same time period in 2019-2020, there are substantially more shootings at this point of this year. Through March 2019 there were 102 shootings, and through March 2020 there were 111.
The names of the victims have not been released. No suspect description is available. The investigation remains open and active.
Anyone with information is asked to contact PPB at crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov and reference case number 23-117241.