PORTLAND, Ore. — Faith and community leaders came together on Thursday to hold a news conference denouncing gun violence in Portland.
The city has seen a spike in overall violence compared to last year. So far, Portland has seen 32 killings, 24 of which have been by gunfire compared to four cases this time last year.
Pastor JW Matt Hennessee hosted the event at Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church in North Portland, a church he has been leading for almost 17 years.
“The reality is that this touches all of us,” said Hennessee, a sentiment echoed by each of the speakers. “I have lived here for 32 years and I have always seen this city as a safe place. This is not the Portland that we know."
Royal Harris, a community leader who grew up in the church, also spoke Thursday afternoon. His brother was shot and killed at a Northeast Portland nightclub in 2013.
Harris is hosting a march on Saturday called "March Against Murder" that'll go from Peninsula Park to Woodlawn Park.
“The taking of life, the premeditated taking of life, is unnecessary and we have reached an epidemic proportion that this city has never seen,” said Harris.
He brought his cousin up to the podium with him and addressed the responsibility of Black men to lead the Black community in solving the issue of violence in their community. However, he, and others wanted to make it clear that the Black community are not the only community committing and facing the violence plaguing Portland.
“What I am committed to doing as a Black man is to elevate the voice of Black men, Black leaders, Black women. We are the creators of the solution to this situation,” he said. “We are disproportionately dying but there is white people dying too. Conflict has gotten to the point where death is a way to solve it. As a black man who came from this culture who lost friends for decades, we have to step in – as Black men it is our obligation to lead and protect our community. It is our obligation to bring our voice to the city of Portland.”
Harris said the Black community needs investors who are willing to funnel money and resources to trusted minority community leaders. He added the issue of conflict resolution and mediation needs to be taught in schools to young children to eradicate the issue of violence in adults.
“I ask of all citizens of Portland, Black, white, brown whatever, if you are against all forms of the senseless murder of people,” said Harris. “I ask you to join us at Peninsula Park and join is in that walk.”
Mayor Ted Wheeler, Portland Police Bureau Chief Chuck Lovell and officials with the U.S. District Attorney’s Office were also in attendance and spoke in support of the march and the collaborative efforts of law enforcement and the community to prosecute gun violence cases.
“Each time gun violence is committed, someone’s loved one is hurt or won’t ever return home,” said Mayor Ted Wheeler. “Someone won’t be able to hug or hold their child, family member or friend, whole families experience trauma and indeed entire communities experience trauma. What we need right now are direct interventions with the individuals and families affected by gun violence. Those best positioned to do that work are those trusted community members and organizations that they represent.
"Law enforcement is doing its part too. But there's also an urgent need to develop feasible, scalable and community-led interventions that mitigate violence and associated health impacts," Wheeler added.
The mayor said that the city is working urgently with community leaders and law enforcement to try and find a solution to the loss of life and trauma across the city.
PPB Chief Chuck Lovell said a new uniformed team is being created to address the issue and that a job posting will be listed soon for a direct intervention team.
As part of the joint effort, PPB is working with the U.S. District Attorney’s Office, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF.) The FBI is getting real-time intel and evidence by going to shooting scenes with PPB while ATF is using its ability to trace firearms used in multiple cases and trace where they are coming from with the intent to get them off the streets.
Acting U.S. Attorney for Oregon Scott Asphaug said weekly meetings between agencies has helped to charge 50 people in gun violence cases that may not have been otherwise prosecutable. Working together across agencies has given law enforcement the ability to connect cases.
“Gun violence is colorblind,” said Asphaug. “Gun violence is a community-wide problem and it’s a problem that needs to be addressed by all of us.”
Things got tense during the press conference.
A woman entered the church and began yelling at Pastor Hennessee, accusing him of “entertaining white people while Black people are dying on the streets”. She was escorted out by a member of the church. Outside the doors, KGW’s Morgan Romero could hear protesters.
As soon as the mayor finished speaking he was quickly escorted by multiple security guards out the side door of the church.
After the press conference, outside the building, protesters approached journalists, an FBI agent and the acting US Attorney. Protesters berated the public officials and followed them to their cars.