PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The aftermath of a deadly police shooting in Minnesota is being felt here in Portland.
Portland police declared a riot on Monday night after groups broke windows and set fires at the Penumbra Kelly Building on East Burnside. Rioters were responding to the death of 20-year-old Daunte Wright, who was shot and killed by a police officer during a traffic stop earlier this week. The outrage felt is the latest chapter of unrest that has come to a head across the country in the last year.
On Tuesday, the bureau addressed Monday’s incident, the growing unrest in the city and how the department plans to handle further rioting.
“This is a small contingent of people,” said PPB’s Captain Tina Jones. “But, they are causing mass destruction, which costs the taxpayers and diverts funds from other important areas that the city and county need to invest in.”
Consisting of about 200 people dressed in black, the crowd first began to gather around 8:30 p.m. Monday night — many of whom were calling for the abolition of police.
Police say people in the neighborhood made multiple calls to the authorities, reporting thefts from their yard. They say people in the aggressive crowd were stealing rocks and landscaping bricks from different properties. Rioters were seen throwing large lava rocks and breaking windows.
KOIN 6 Reporter Jenny Young also witnessed rioters setting dumpsters on fire and dragging people’s garbage cans into the street, setting them on fire, as well.
As the situation escalated with so objects being thrown at windows and officers, police declared it an unlawful assembly — and ultimately declared it a riot soon after.
Police say the exterior of the Penumbra Kelly building sustained significant damage.
Officers worked to move the rioters back, deploying flashbangs around 10 p.m. About 20 minutes later, police began moving the crowd away from the building and west on East Burnside. After police successfully dispersed the crowd, the PPB said officers purposely disengaged. Crowds did not return to the area afterward.
No arrests were made on Monday night. However, ensuing investigations may result in arrests at a later date.
PPB issued a release Tuesday afternoon saying it was preparing for a a potentially disruptive gathering beginning at 9 p.m. at Kenton Park.
“Such events have historically included wanton destruction of public and private property, violence and the active threat of harm by thrown or propelled objects, fire and impact weapons,” the bureau said in the release. “Similarly advertised events promoted and then engaged in arson and riots.”