Border Patrol Agent Shoots Two People During Vehicle Stop in Portland, DHS Reports

PORTLAND, Ore. — A U.S. Border Patrol agent shot and wounded a man and a woman during a traffic stop in Portland on Thursday afternoon, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

DHS Deputy Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said agents initiated a “targeted vehicle stop” in the city’s Hazelwood neighborhood when the driver allegedly attempted to strike agents with the vehicle. “Fearing for his life and safety, an agent fired defensive shots,” McLaughlin stated on the social media platform X.

The incident unfolded on Southeast Main Street. After the gunfire, the driver left the scene with the passenger, both of whom had been shot, authorities said. At 2:24 p.m., Portland Police Bureau dispatchers received a call from a man requesting medical assistance near Northeast 146th Avenue and East Burnside Street, approximately one mile from the original location. Officers found a man and a woman with gunshot wounds, applied a tourniquet, and summoned paramedics. Both patients were transported to a hospital; their conditions were not immediately available, and their names were withheld.

Federal account of the individuals involved

McLaughlin said the passenger is a Venezuelan national who entered the country unlawfully and is linked to the transnational criminal group Tren de Aragua. The passenger is also suspected of involvement in a recent shooting in Portland, she added. The vehicle’s driver is “believed to be a member” of the same Venezuelan gang, according to McLaughlin.

No federal agency released additional information about the suspect’s alleged role in prior crimes, and no charges had been announced as of late Thursday.

Local police response

The Portland Police Bureau confirmed that federal agents fired the shots and clarified that city officers were not involved in the use of force. The bureau said detectives are coordinating with federal authorities but did not specify which agency will lead the investigation. No update was provided on whether a firearm was recovered from the vehicle.

Context and recent incidents

Thursday’s shooting came one day after a separate U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where an ICE agent shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good as she drove away in an SUV. McLaughlin and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused Good of trying to run over agents and labeled her actions “domestic terrorism.” Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and local Democratic officials have disputed those characterizations, citing bystander video footage.

The back-to-back shootings have drawn scrutiny to federal immigration enforcement tactics in U.S. cities far from the country’s land borders. Border Patrol, a component of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, is authorized to operate within 100 miles of any international border, according to the agency’s public guidance. CBP’s official website notes that agents routinely conduct interior enforcement in cooperation with ICE.

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Mayor calls for halt to federal operations

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson issued a statement condemning the latest shooting and urging federal immigration agencies to suspend local operations pending a comprehensive review. “Portland is not a training ground for militarized agents, and the ‘full force’ threatened by the administration has deadly consequences,” Wilson said.

Wilson’s statement referenced Portland’s heightened profile in immigration enforcement actions under the Trump administration. The city has seen repeated demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and clashes between federal agents and protesters outside the local ICE facility have been common.

Investigation and next steps

No federal or local agency has announced which entity will conduct the primary investigation into Thursday’s gunfire. Standard procedure requires a review by the DHS Office of Inspector General when a Border Patrol agent discharges a weapon causing injury. Authorities did not say whether the agent involved has been placed on administrative leave.

The Portland Police Bureau asked anyone with video or information about the incident to contact detectives. Federal officials have not indicated whether additional arrests are expected.

The shooting remains under active investigation. Officials said further details will be released when available.

Crédito da imagem: Getty Images