PORTLAND, Ore. ( KOIN ) – Portland leaders are addressing neighbors’ crime concerns after a shooting at Dawson Park that left two people hurt in North Portland on Friday.
The shooting near the Arc-En-Ciel Montessori School involved more than 70 shots fired right around preschool pickup time . Police say someone drove up and fired in the direction of Dawson Park.
Four wildfires reach ‘megafire’ status in Oregon, scorching thousands of acres One concerned Arc-En-Ciel parent, Jonathan Rue, told KOIN 6 News that “stray bullets could end up in our children’s classroom at any time.”
“Portland Police Bureau have clearly failed to take action and they got to do something different, because it’s unacceptable that we’re taking our kids to daycare and their lives are at risk,” Rue said.
Meanwhile, Mayor Ted Wheeler and Police Chief Bob Day have responded to mounting calls for change and increased safety at the park, saying PPB has already increased visibility and patrols in Dawson Park and the surrounding areas.
“I’m optimistic that the arrests made by the Portland Police Bureau resulting in the seizure of multiple firearms is but the first of many police interventions that will improve the situation,” Wheeler said. “While it may ring hollow right now, it’s important to note that the city’s gun violence is showing significant improvement year over year.”
“We absolutely have to make the city safe for families and in particular young children,” added Portland Commissioner Rene Gonzalez.
Washington town with no exit roads prepared to evacuate by ferry as wildfire grows Investigators believe the violent incident may be connected to a shooting that took place Saturday near Northeast 82nd Avenue and Sandy Boulevard. According to Chief Day, at least five firearms—including high-impact rifles and pistols with a high-capacity drum—were recovered during the arrest.
“We feel confident that we have recovered the firearms used in the crime Friday evening at the park, which is significant. They were high-impact weapons,” Day said.
Chief Day also noted that members of East Precinct had been patrolling the park a few days a week over the past two months—even prior to the shooting.
The mayor and police chief vowed to continue efforts already underway to increase community outreach, including an incoming bike patrol in the Elliot neighborhood set to start in the coming weeks.
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