PORTLAND, Ore. — Thursday, January 8, 2026
On Thursday afternoon in East Portland, Oregon, two people were shot and wounded by U.S. federal law-enforcement agents during what officials described as a “targeted vehicle stop,” intensifying local and national tensions over immigration enforcement in sanctuary cities.
The incident occurred at approximately 2:18 p.m. Pacific Time near the 10200 block of Southeast Main Street in the Hazelwood neighborhood, police said. Within minutes, Portland police officers received a separate 911 call from a man reporting he had been shot and was seeking help near Northeast 146th Avenue and East Burnside Street, about 2.5 to 3 miles from the original location.
When officers arrived, they found a man and a woman with apparent gunshot wounds. First responders applied tourniquets and summoned emergency medical personnel. Both were taken to local hospitals; their identities and conditions have not been publicly released.
Federal Officials Describe “Targeted Stop” and Self-Defense
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the federal agents involved were U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers, not local police. DHS said agents were conducting a targeted vehicle stop on a car they believed was linked to an individual suspected of being in the United States illegally and affiliated with the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin issued a statement asserting that, after identifying themselves, agents were allegedly “weaponized” by the driver — who attempted to run them over. Fearing for their safety, at least one agent fired a defensive shot, striking the occupants and prompting them to flee the scene in their vehicle.
Officials have not released further evidence supporting the gang affiliation claims, and local authorities have not confirmed the allegations.
Local Response: Outrage, Protests, and Calls for Accountability
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson condemned the shooting in strong terms, calling it “deeply troubling” and urging that immigration enforcement operations be halted in the city until a full, independent investigation can be completed. Wilson’s office stressed that Portland police were not involved in the actual shooting and have limited knowledge of the operation’s details.
Mayor Wilson noted the incident came just a day after a separate fatal federal agent shooting in Minneapolis, heightening local anxieties about federal enforcement tactics.
In the hours after the shooting, hundreds of Portland residents took to the streets to protest outside the local Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility, chanting slogans and demanding accountability. Demonstrators expressed frustration with federal immigration practices, especially in sanctuary cities like Portland where local policy limits cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
State Officials Join Calls for Transparency
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield released a statement saying his office was “closely monitoring” the situation and stressed the importance of transparency and accountability, asserting that Oregonians “deserve clear answers” about the incident involving federal authorities.
Portland Police Chief Bob Day also urged calm, acknowledging heightened emotions and reminding the public that officers were still gathering facts. He reiterated that the investigation is in its early stages and that local police were not part of the initial shooting event.
FBI Takes Lead in Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Portland field office confirmed it has taken the lead in investigating the shooting, which remains open and active. The FBI said it is treating the matter as an assault on a federal officer and has not provided additional details about the evidence or timeline for updates.
Wider Context: Rising Tensions Over Federal Enforcement
The Portland shooting is the latest in a series of controversial encounters involving federal immigration authorities in the U.S. In recent months, Portland has seen heightened federal enforcement actions and sustained protests over the presence of ICE and CBP agents in the city — actions that local leaders and activists have criticized as militarized and at odds with community values.
The incident also follows national uproar after a federal agent fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis on January 7, 2026, setting off demonstrations and calls for changes to immigration enforcement policies.
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