PORTLAND, Ore. — On Sunday night, a Portland man shot two people in Northwest Portland, leaving them injured, according to Portland police.
One was transported with non-life-threatening injuries to a hospital. Both victims are expected to survive. Portland police did not provide any other details about the extent of their injuries.
Portland police identified the suspect as James T. Rennick, 46, of Portland, who turned himself in on Monday night. He is currently being held at the Multnomah County Detention Center and is facing charges of second-degree attempted murder, second-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon and reckless endangerment, according to Portland police.
In a court appearance on Tuesday, Rennick pleaded not guilty. The judge ruled that Rennick will remain in custody until his next court appearance due to the violent nature of the crime.
Officers found the victims around 7 p.m. on Monday, after responding to reports of a shooting in the street around Northwest 21st Avenue and Northwest Glisan Street. Those who work and live nearby describe hearing multiple gunshots.
“I live in the apartment complex, and I had my windows open and all I hear is like, six shots … I just moved here, so I was kind of freaked out by it,” said Chloe Zamparelli, who works at Ken’s Artisan Bakery.
Two homeless people who have lived in the neighborhood for decades were close to the shooting when it happened.
“We heard it, and it could have killed us,” said Franc, who lives on the streets by Northwest 21st and Glisan.
“Bam, bam, bam, just one after another … I ran up the street … It was a bad scene, because there was two people out here fighting,” added Franc’s friend, Elizabeth.
The section of the Nob Hill neighborhood is a popular area in Northwest Portland, where people like Ken Blumenthal come to escape this type of violence. He described the neighborhood he’s lived in for years as a “pretty calm, pretty peaceful” place.
“It doesn't feel like something that is common here,” he said of Sunday night’s shooting.
The leftover caution tape told a different story Monday morning. The last time there was a shooting in that area was three years ago inside a crowded sports bar, and one person died.
A person who witnessed the shooting Sunday night said Rennick was driving and turned onto Northwest 21st Avenue, hitting a pedestrian. He got out of the car and started yelling at the person, according to an affidavit. A separate witness said the pedestrian confronted the driver after getting hit, and an altercation broke out, which surveillance footage from the Silver Dollar Pizza confirms, the affidavit said.
Afterwards, Rennick left in his vehicle, but came back, and another fist fight ensued between him and a separate bystander. He took off again and returned shortly after, and another fight occurred, where Rennick said something to the effect of "Let me show you this," before pulling out a gun, a witness said in the court documents.
Another witness said she saw Rennick point the gun at the pedestrian from earlier and heard multiple shots fired.
Seven shell casings were found at the scene, along with bullet strikes to structures and objects, according to the affidavit.
Since the start of the year, there have been 522 shootings in Portland, compared to 676 this time last year and 826 this same time the year before, according to Portland Police data.
Despite the downward trend, the community remains cautious.
“What worries you more is not that it's going to be somebody targeting you, it's that you're going to be walking by minding your own business and get shot,” Blumenthal said.
The case is still under investigation; anyone with information should contact the Portland police.