US federal immigration agents shoot at 2 in Portland, DHS calls it ‘self-defence’

The Department of Homeland Security said the incident took place when US Border Patrol agents were conducting a targeted vehicle stop.

Two people were reportedly injured after being shot by federal immigration officers in Portland, a city in the United States’ Oregon. The incident reportedly took place on Thursday afternoon and the FBI’s Portland office said it was investigating an “agent involved shooting”, with the Department of Homeland Security saying that the agents resorted to shooting as self-defense.

The shooting victims were taken to a hospital for treatment and their conditions is unknown, according to the Portland Police who confirmed the shooting and said that the shooting involved two federal agents, allegedly belonging to the Customs and Border Patrol Agents.

‘Defensive shot’

The Department of Homeland Security said the incident took place when the US Border Patrol agents were conducting a targeted vehicle stop in Oregon. It alleged that the shooting victim is a Venezuelan illegal alien affiliated with the multinational Tren de Aragua prostitution ring and involved in a recent shooting in Portland.

“The vehicle driver is believed to be a member of the vicious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. When agents identified themselves to the vehicle occupants, the driver weaponized his vehicle and attempted to run over the law enforcement agents,” the department said in a statement on

“Fearing for his life and safety, an agent fired a defensive shot. The driver drove off with the passenger, fleeing the scene,” it added.

What the police said

Oregon Police said it received a report of a shooting on Thursday and a man and a woman had suffered gunshot wounds.

“At 2:24 p.m., officers received information that a man who had been shot was calling and requesting help in the area of Northeast 146th Avenue and East Burnside,” the police said, adding that the officers applied a tourniquet and summoned emergency medical personnel.

“The patients were transported to the hospital. Their conditions are unknown. Officials have determined the two people were injured in the shooting involving federal agents,” it said in a statement.

As the shooting comes a day after an Immigration and Customs US Enforcement officer shot and killed a woman in Minnesota, Portland Police chief Bob Day urged calm as the investigation is ongoing to ascertain the cause of the shooting.

“We are still in the early stages of this incident,” Day said, and added, “We understand the elevated emotion and tension many are feeling in the wake of the shooting in Minneapolis, but I am asking the community to remain calm as we work to learn more.

Council President Elana Pirtle-Guiney said during a Portland city council meeting that Thursday’s shooting took place in the eastern part of the city and that two Oregonians were wounded.

“As far as we know both of these individuals are US still alive and we are hoping for more positive updates throughout the afternoon,” she was cited as saying by Associated Press.

Two people have been wounded in a shooting involving US federal agents in Oregon, say officials.

US The city’s police department said in a statement that a man and woman had been taken to hospital and their circumstances were unknown.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the incident occurred at 14:19 local time (22:19 GMT) with the traffic stop of a Venezuelan gang member, who “attempted to run over” agents with his car.

The incident comes a day after a federal agent fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis, triggering protests around the US against federal law enforcement actions in US cities.

“The passenger of the vehicle and target is a Venezuelan illegal alien affiliated with the multinational Tren de Aragua prostitution ring and involved in a recent shooting in Portland,” DHS said in a statement posted on X.

“When agents identified themselves to the vehicle occupants, the driver weaponized his vehicle and attempted to run over the law enforcement agents.”

“Fearing for his life and safety, an agent fired a defensive shot. The driver drove off with the passenger, fleeing the scene.”

US Oregon Police said in their own statement that their officers were not involved in the incident, and were called after receiving reports of a shooting.

The two people who were shot have not been identified, and police say they were found several blocks from the scene of the shooting.

“Officers applied a tourniquet and summoned emergency medical personnel,” before they were taken to hospital, the statement said, adding that “their conditions are unknown”.

US media have quoted police sources as saying the man and woman who were shot were a married couple.

Oregon District Attorney Nathan Vasquez, speaking from the scene of the shooting, told reporters he was there “to monitor, to assist, and to make sure that there’s a thorough and complete investigation”.

He pledged to ensure “that evidence is fully preserved and that – we’re certainly hoping – that we can get all of the facts about what transpire here today”.

His comments come after officials in Minnesota announced that the FBI would not include local investigators in their investigation of the death on Wednesday US of Renee Nicole Good, who was shot after officers alleged she attempted to run over agents.

“We are still in the early stages of this incident,” said Portland Police Chief Bob Day on Thursday.

“We understand the elevated emotion and tension many are feeling in the wake of the shooting in Minneapolis, but I am asking the community to remain calm as we work to learn more.”

He told a news conference later the investigation into the incident in the Hazelwood neighborhood was being led by the FBI.

Oregon Mayor Keith Wilson, a Democrat, called on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to halt all operations in the city pending the investigation.

“We know what the federal government says happened here,” he said. “There was a time when we could take them at their word. That time is long past.”

He added: “The administration is trying to divide us, to pit communities against each other. Portland, this is a moment to hold each other close.”

Oregon has been the site of large anti-Trump protests in the past.

On Wednesday night, Portland police arrested one protester who was charged with threatening after officers found him allegedly threatening another person with a knife.

Lew Frederick, a Democratic state senator, US told the BBC that local officials must be involved in the investigation into Thursday’s shooting otherwise “the community isn’t going to trust that those results aren’t impartial.”

“It’s been clear for many weeks that there has been tensions increasing, and tense conditions on the street,” he said, referring to ongoing protests in the city against the Trump administration.

“And unfortunately, I do think, the, the resulting tragedy US that occurred was predictable.”

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