Deadly Shooting in Portland Sparks as Pro-Trump Groups Clash with Protesters
A deadly shooting resulted in the passing of one person in Portland late Sunday, as a large caravan of President Donald Trump's supporters clashed with protesters in the streets, police said.
According to a USA Today report, it's not yet clear if the deadly shooting in Portland was linked to fights between the caravan and protesters.
Portland Police are still investigating the event after they responded to the deadly shooting Saturday night, said a CNN report.
Authorities said the shooting took place as protesters converged on the city for the 94th time in a row. Sounds of gunfire were heard on the site at around 8:46 p.m., they said in a statement where the victim was found with a gunshot wound on the chest.
The victim was found on Southeast 3rd Avenue and Southwest Alder Street and was determined dead by medical personnel. An Associated Press photographer observed the medics working on the victim's body, which he noticed was a white man.
The photographer said the man was wearing a hat with an insignia of Patriot Prayer, a right-wing group that has clashed with Portland protesters in the past.
The body remained on the scene after medics left. Next to it was camouflage gear with the infidel and thin blue patches. This usually indicates support for law enforcement, noted Oregon Live.
Patriot Prayer leader Joey Gibson said he had also seen a photo of the man killed in the incident, but he did not say if he knew him. Before hanging up, he said he'll have to figure out what was going on.
Protesters Were Told to Come Armed
Various scuffles had taken place between pro-Trump demonstrators and protesters. A vehicle rally supporting Trump began near Clackamas Town Center and reached Portland.
Organizers of the event told demonstrators to come armed but asked them not to carry their firearms out in the open.
Police taped off the area near the body and had not released any additional details on the matter. They also did not say whether it was linked to the demonstrations.
They also asked anyone with first-hand videos of the shooting or any witnesses to contact investigators.
Nightly Protests in Portland
Portland had been site to nightly protests for more than three months since the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Many of the said protests end in vandalism and violence. Law enforcers have arrested hundreds of protesters since May.
Arrests were also made in the recent protest, as police said they made several arrests before the deadly shooting. They advised residents to avoid the city core.
This scene of chaos in Portland came two days after Trump tagged it as a liberal city that was overrun with violence. In his speech at the Republican National Convention, he said so in his speech as part of his re-election campaign theme of "law and order."
The caravan is the third week that Trump supporters have rallied in the city. In a tweet posted Sunday, the organizer said that attendees will have to follow a secret route for safety reasons.
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