PORTLAND, Ore. — One person was killed in a shooting near Dawson Park in North Portland on Tuesday afternoon, Portland police said.
Officers responded to the shooting in the 2900 block of North Williams Avenue on Tuesday afternoon. The park is across the street from Legacy Emanuel Medical Center.
According to the Portland Police Bureau, when officers arrived at the scene of the shooting they found a man dead from an apparent gunshot wound. Officers did not locate a suspect.
J.W. Matt Hennessee is a pastor at Vancouver Baptist Church. Hennessee said he and members of his congregation held a food giveaway in the park from 10 a.m. to noon. He said they heard gunshots just as they were leaving.
"Once again, in broad daylight, somebody loses their life and people don't seem to have a lot of information who may have been very close to what was happening," said Hennessee. "That's dismaying, disturbing, and I'm really saddened by it."
In a statement, Commissioner Carmen Rubio, the commissioner in charge of Portland Parks and Recreation, said in part, "I'm saddened for those affected by this afternoon’s violence. Dawson Park is a community anchor and, although this did not happen in the park, our Park Rangers will be present at Dawson Park and available for park-goers.
Commissioner Mingus Mapps also issued a statement, which in part said, "I am aware and following the shooting that occurred at Dawson Park today. We are on pace to break last year’s record homicide rate. This situation is unacceptable."
Less than a year ago, a man died in another deadly shooting in Dawson Park in broad daylight.
Gun violence has continued to plague Portland in the first two months of 2022. There have been roughly 230 shootings incidents in the city so far this year, which works out to almost four shootings a day.
If ruled a homicide, this incident would be at least the 21st homicide Portland has seen this year, including one man shot and killed by Portland Police.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact detective Ryan Foote at ryan.foote@portlandoregon.gov (503) 823-0781 or detective Travis Law at travis.law@portlandoregon.gov (503) 823-0395. The case number is 22-56241.