A person was shot and killed in downtown Portland during a pro-Trump caravan through the city Saturday night. Portland police are investigating the shooting as a homicide.
Medics attend to an apparent gunshot victim on the ground after a pro-Trump car caravan through downtown Portland, Ore., Aug. 29, 2020.
Jonathan Levinson / OPB
The shooting occurred around 8:45 p.m. near the corner of Southwest 3rd Avenue and Alder Street.
Portland police secured the entire block as the crime scene. Police said they wouldn’t be releasing suspect information “at this time” and no one was immediately arrested following the shooting.
Images of the victim show a man wearing a hat featuring the logo of Patriot Prayer, a group that has regularly engaged in violence at Portland protests, and a “Thin Blue Line” patch on his shorts.
Mayor Ted Wheeler said in a text message that he was “aware of the situation.”
“Gathering information now,” he continued. “Will be transparent with public. Asking for people to remain calm and not add to this tragedy.”
A spokesperson for the mayor said Wheeler plans to address the shooting Sunday.
The shooting happened after tensions gradually escalated throughout Saturday night as the pro-Trump caravan slowly moved through the city. Videos posted online show people in flag-adorned trucks driving through groups of protesters, firing paintball guns at crowds and deploying what appears to be pepper spray.
Earlier in the day, thousands of people had gathered for a “Trump cruise rally” at the Clackamas Town Center, from which they drove to Portland where a clash with anti-racist demonstrators seemed certain to await. A post pinned to the Facebook event page, which drew some 2,500 attendees, encouraged concealed carry.
Hordes of trucks flying Trump, Gadsden, American and Thin Blue Line flags had lined the town center parking lot by 4 p.m.
THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:
“I know for the most part, everyone here is gonna be pretty civilized. We’re all gonna support the president in safe way,” said Brandon Beck, who was attending his first Trump rally. “Obviously we’re all gonna be in cars, none of us are gonna be burning, looting, or anything. We’re just trying to have fun and stay safe today.”
For Joe Reminar, he said Saturday’s event was the fifth or sixth Trump rally he’d attended. “Today is about freedom and showing that antifa doesn’t have the full chokehold on Portland and that we’re taxpaying citizens and we don’t want shit tore up,” he said.
“We’re gonna be a major parade and showing strength for our president. Which we appreciate all that he’s done, keeping the economy going, fighting China on this virus, keeping us free and saving our Second Amendment.”
Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office vehicles blocked intersections around the Town Center mall to allow the parade of vehicles to pass through, but told OPB they were not providing an escort for the group. However, multiple Oregon state troopers were positioned along Highway 224, the pro-Trump caravan’s primary route to Portland.
A man uses a truck to drive into and through anti-fascist counterprotesters at a pro-Trump caravan through Portland, Ore., Aug. 29, 2020.
Jonathan Levinson / OPB
A map of the intended route shared and spread across social media kept the caravan on highways and out of downtown. In a highly predictable turn of events, many cars rerouted into downtown just before 7 p.m. Confrontations grew more heated from there.
The Morrison Bridge became the sight of some conflict as the caravan pulled into the city. A person used a truck to push protesters on an off ramp. Two men also threw hands in the middle of the bridge. A truckful of Portland police officers swooped in to break up the fight, detaining the two men involved. The mood was otherwise subdued early Saturday night.
Tensions boiled over in downtown Portland last weekend when pro-police, pro-Trump demonstrators fired paintball guns and used pepper and bear spray against anti-racist protesters. One man named Alan Swinney, a member of the Proud Boys hate group, which frequently engages in violence at protests, even pulled a handgun on demonstrators at one point. Police intentionally did not intervene to break up fights, to much criticism. (For his part, Swinney appeared at another rally this week, again armed with a handgun and a paintball gun.)
Saturday’s demonstration will be short one notorious agitator, Tusitala “Tiny” Toese, another member of the Proud Boys who was arrested in Clark County late Friday on an outstanding warrant.
Similarly competing demonstrations took place Saturday across Oregon, including in Rogue River and Pendleton.
This story will be updated.
OPB’s Rebecca Ellis contributed to this report.
THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR:
"car" - Google News
August 30, 2020 at 01:33PM
https://ift.tt/2QD1lgU
Person shot and killed during pro-Trump car caravan through downtown Portland - OPB News
"car" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2SUDZWE
https://ift.tt/3aT1Mvb
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Person shot and killed during pro-Trump car caravan through downtown Portland - OPB News"
Post a Comment