PORTLAND, Ore. — On Thursday, police identified a 25-year-old mother who was shot and killed in Southeast Portland on Feb. 20.
According to Portland police, Adau G. Duop was in a vehicle with her family while it was shot up at Southeast 128th and Foster late Sunday night. Her fiancé, who police have not identified, remains in serious condition in the hospital, but should survive. The couple's 1-year-old, who was shot in the leg, and 5-year-old, who was shot in the arm, have been released from the hospital.
Duop was a refugee from Sudan and the man is a refugee from Somalia. The family belonged to the Center for African Immigrants and Refugees Organization (CAIRO).
Portland's immigrant and refugee community is grieving.
"What was unique to this is it hit home," said Abdikadir Bashir, founding executive director of (CAIRO). "It's not surprising to see they were together in a car," Bashir said. "That's the kind of family they are. What a tragedy."
"I'm going to try not to cry," Tram Gonzales said.
Gonzales is one of the 5-year-old's instructors at CAIRO Academy. She described the boy as shy but beyond sweet.
"I can't imagine him going through this," Gonzales said. "In the car with his sibling and his mom and dad. He's just the greatest."
"Little kids injured by gunfire is especially heartbreaking to me, and to everyone, I'm sure," Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell added.
Chief Lovell spoke briefly about the weekend shooting at a press conference Tuesday. He was asked if the family was the intended target.
"I don't have enough information to say either way they were or weren't," Lovell said. "We're looking into that and hope to determine that during the course of the investigation."
Regardless, the survivors of the shooting, especially the kids, will have to endure a lifetime of heartache.
"Seeing your mom or dad being shot and you shot in the process as well, your mom dying on the scene, that'll probably never be wiped from their memory," Bashir said.
CAIRO has launched a GoFundMe to help the family with expenses.
"I ask the community to support in that regard," Bashir added.
Anyone with information about the homicide is asked to contact Detective William Winters at William.Winters@portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-0466, or Detective Jason Koenig at Jason.Koenig@portlandoregon.gov ir 503-823-0889. The case number is 22-48396.