By Joseph Lord & Kimberly Hayek
Contributing Writers
Two people were shot and injured after an incident involving federal law enforcement in Portland, Oregon.
The city government of Portland announced in a statement posted online that the shooting had taken place.
According to the statement, Portland law enforcement responded at around 2:18 p.m. on Thursday to a report of a shooting in the Hazelwood neighborhood of Portland. Officers confirmed on the scene that federal agents had been involved.
Portland said that its officers were not involved in the incident.
Portland Police Chief Bob Day referenced the proximity of the incident and urged local residents to remain calm.
“We are still in the early stages of this incident,” Day said. “We understand the heightened emotion and tension many are feeling in the wake of the shooting in Minneapolis, but I am asking the community to remain calm as we work to learn more.”
The shooting comes a day after a protester was shot and killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. The administration has said that the shooting was in self-defense and has described the woman who was killed as a “domestic terrorist.”
Responding to the shooting in Portland, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said a passenger and driver of a vehicle were believed to be an illegal immigrant from Venezuela and a member of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, respectively.
McLaughlin said Border Patrol agents were conducting a targeted vehicle stop when they approached the vehicle the individuals were in.
“When agents identified themselves to the vehicle occupants, the driver weaponized his vehicle and attempted to run over the law enforcement agents,” she said in a statement on X. “Fearing for his life and safety, an agent fired defensive shots. The driver drove off with the passenger, fleeing the scene.”
The two people, identified by Portland Police as a man and a woman, were found 8 miles away from the location of the shooting after the man called 911 for help. Police applied a tourniquet, and they were taken to the hospital. Their condition is unknown as of the publication of this story.
The incident drew immediate reactions from local officials. Multnomah County Sheriff Nicole Morrisey O’Donnell expressed concern for those affected by the incident.
“My thoughts are with those who were injured during this shooting, their families, and anyone who witnessed it,” she said in a statement. “Moments like this can create even greater fear and I recognize the weight of emotion our country and now our community is carrying right now.”
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson urged U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to halt operations in the city until a full investigation is completed.
In a statement, Wilson criticized federal immigration enforcement operations as “federal militarization” that “runs counter to the values that define our region.”
“I will use every legal and legislative tool available to protect our residents’ civil and human rights,” he said.
Tren de Aragua, the gang allegedly linked to the Portland suspects, originated in Venezuela and has expanded into the United States, engaging in drug trafficking, prostitution and violence. The United States designated it a foreign terrorist organization in 2025, leading to sanctions and rewards for information on leaders.
Last month, the State Department raised a reward to $5 million for Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano, the first member of the gang listed as the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives.
The Justice Department indicted more than 70 members in a nationwide crackdown last month, targeting activities in multiple states. U.S. forces struck a drug boat in September 2025, killing 11 gang members off Venezuela’s coast. Sanctions hit Venezuelans tied to the group in December.
Portland has seen ongoing tensions over federal immigration enforcement.
In October 2025, hundreds protested outside ICE offices, and the city fought a National Guard deployment to support immigration operations. A federal judge blocked troops in Portland, part of broader standoffs in blue states like Oregon and Illinois.
President Donald Trump announced withdrawal of federalized Guard troops from Portland and other cities on Dec. 31, 2025, after earlier deployments.
Federal officials have not released the agents’ identities or further details on the Portland operation. The FBI is investigating the incident, according to the Portland Police.
