Shootings during the first week of July jumped 240% over the same period last year, the Portland Police Bureau announced Monday.
By July 6, the bureau had responded to 17 shootings compared to five for the first six days of last July.
"Gun violence negatively impacts everyone in our community and the increase we are seeing is alarming," Police Chief Chuck Lovell said in the July 6 announcement. "PPB continues to investigate these crimes and we ask for the public's help with tips and leads. As a community, we must come together to send a message that shootings in our City are unacceptable."
The spike happened shortly after the City Council voted to disband the bureau's Gun Violence Reduction Team, formerly known as the Gang Enforcement Team, because it has disproportionately focused on the Black community. The members are being reassigned to normal patrol and supervisory duties.
According to the announcement, these are some of the shootings since July 1:
• On July 2, North Precinct officers responded to the 8700 block of North Swenson Street on reports of a shooting. While searching the area, officers reported hearing a single gunshot. It is unknown whether the gunshot was intended to harm an officer or not.
• On July 3, East Precinct officers located 11 shell casings after responding to a reported shooting in the 1200 block of Southeast 130th Avenue where no victims or property damage were found.
• On July 5, officers responded to multiple shootings where multiple occupied residences, a vehicle, and an adult male were shot. A mother also discovered that her 11-month old baby put a spent bullet into its mouth.
These are active investigations and police are asking if anyone has information about them, please call the non-emergency line at 503-823-3333.
