Shooting at Dawson Park leaves 2 injured, ’70 shell casings’
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Portland police are investigating after dozens of shots fired at Dawson Park left two people injured Friday afternoon, with no suspect in custody, officials said. There were no deaths.
According to the Portland Police Bureau, officers responded around 4:05 p.m. to reports of shots fired at the park.
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They found one gunshot victim on arrival, who was transported to the hospital. A second gunshot victim went to the hospital to their own. “Both are expected to survive,” police said.
The suspect or suspects “fled the scene before officers arrived.”
“The Portland Police Bureau’s Focused Intervention Team (FIT) and Enhanced Community Safety Team (ECST) responded to the park to investigate,” PPB said in a release. “The initial investigation suggests that a vehicle pulled up to the park and at least one person inside fired in the direction of the park. Officers have located more than 70 shell casings at the scene.
In a statement, Portland Police Chief Bob Day said that he was “disheartened” about the shooting but “relieved” it did not result in the loss of life and that the two injured people are expected to live.
“I want the community to know that the Portland Police Bureau takes a holistic approach to preventing gun violence. This work includes interdiction efforts by our Focused Intervention Team and Enhanced Community Safety Team,” Chief Day said. “PPB also works closely with the District Attorney’s Office, Parole and Probation, Ceasefire, Office of Violence Prevention, and other community-based organizations and oversight groups that value the sanctity of life and are committed to tackling this senseless violence head on.”
A nearby preschool director told KOIN 6 News they have to take extreme measures – gates, lockdown procedures – and she doesn’t let the little ones go outside when it gets really hot out, because that’s when the shooting often starts.
“Normally we’ll hear one or two, I can say, ‘Hey maybe that sounded like a gun or maybe that was a firework or maybe it was a delivery truck.’ This was like warzone level,” Owner Dannielle Herman said. “Volume and amount of bullets and speeding cars, during a time where our youngest children – like our 3 year olds – were getting picked up.”
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Dawson Park has been a hotspot for shootings. In the past year, there have been eight shootings less than a block away from the park with three people shot and killed in past years.
This a developing story. KOIN 6 News will update this story if more information becomes available.
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