PORTLAND, Ore. — Two people are dead following a shooting at a cannabis store, La Mota, in Portland's St. Johns neighborhood Thursday night.
Around 9:39 p.m., police officers responded to a shooting at a cannabis store near North St. Louis Avenue and New York Avenue. The officers found two people dead when they arrived at the scene.
Portland police later identified those killed as 18-year-old King Lawrence and 20-year-old Tahir Burley.
Photos of the damage inside the cannabis store show shattered glass all over the floor, as well broken display cases and a back pick-up window. Next to it is a sign saying due to a string of robberies, the store closed their doors at 9 p.m. The deadly shooting happened about 30 minutes later.
A person believed to be involved in the incident remained at the scene and is cooperating with investigators, Portland police said. Police have not released any other details about what led up to the shooting.
Neighbors told KGW that they heard about 10 gunshots.
A bio clean-up crew was on scene Friday morning to clean up the blood from inside the shop.
“Better us than somebody who was involved and becoming more traumatized from the experience,” said Phil Kirton, who works from Bio One PDX.
“I just heard about ten loud pops of gunshots going across the street,” said David, who has lived in the neighborhood for four years.
“Right after I heard the gunshots, I heard sirens for a half an hour, a ton of them,” added Matt, who lives behind the shop. He said he wasn’t surprised there was a shooting and added “weird stuff” often happens at that La Mota.
“It’s a store with a lot of cash in it. It was around the time it was closing; it’s a place that would get robbed eventually,” Matt said.
“Stochastic violence is going to occur throughout the city, and it’s just not a lot that you can do about it; you just have to accept it if you’re going to choose to live in this city,” added David.
La Mota corporate staff was on scene Friday, letting the clean-up crew in the building. They would not talk with KGW on camera saying, “it’s a difficult time for them.”
Detectives with the Portland Police Homicide Unit are investigating.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Brent Christensen at brent.christensen@police.portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-2087, or Detective J.D. McGuire at jeff.mcguire@police.portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-2081 and reference case number 24-253852.