PORTLAND, Ore. — A man died in a shooting in downtown Portland Sunday night near Multnomah County Central Library. It was one of three incidents in the city's downtown area over the holiday weekend.
The wave of violent crimes started on Friday, when a deadly stabbing on the Steel Bridge left a man dead. Early Sunday morning, another person was stabbed in Old Town. Later that night, police responded to to the shooting on Southwest 10th Avenue and Yamhill Street.
"I just was shocked," said Joseph Scott, who's homeless and spends much of his day outside the Central Library, just feet away from where the shooting occurred.
"It's overwhelming, it's kind of scary that it would happen so close to where I commute everyday," Scott said.
When officers responded to the shooting report around 11:45 p.m. Sunday, they found a man with a gunshot wound. He was taken to a local hospital where he later died, the Portland Police Bureau said.
Investigators have not yet released his name, but if his death is ruled a homicide, it would be the 18th in Portland this year.
Earlier on Sunday, a man was stabbed in Old Town. He was transported to the hospital and is expected to survive his injuries. During a preliminary investigation, officers found that the stabbing incident started due to a scuffle between two groups. A gun was also found at the scene, but police said there is no evidence shots were fired during the fight.
"It's scary,” said Darlene Urban-Garrett, who works in Old Town. “It's always scary to hear of things like that."
Officers arrested Yimer J. Funez-Cruz, 21, of Portland in the stabbing. He faces first-degree assault charges, along with unlawful use of a weapon and menacing charges.
Crime is becoming a more common occurrence in Old Town, Urban-Garrett said. It’s not unusual to see first responders in the neighborhood.
"I think drugs are the underlying cause of so much that's going on here in the city," she said.
Police have not said whether drugs were a factor in either incident over the weekend.
A man was arrested in the stabbing on the Steel Bridge on Saturday. Police said he and the victim were fighting when he stabbed the victim in the leg. The person died in the hospital.
The man who was arrested has since been released, with charges dismissed. According to the Multnomah County District Attorney's office, there was not enough evidence to issue criminal charges. Video evidence related to the stabbing "may shed light on the level of culpability of the involved parties," they added. The case remains an open investigation.