Tense hospital scene after shooting increases alarm over Portland’s gun violence ‘crisis’
Updated 8:36 PM;
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A flood of Portland police cars responded late Monday to break up a report of a gang fight at the doors to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center’s emergency department, where four people with gunshot wounds had just arrived.
The scene was reminiscent of scenarios two decades ago when officers, street outreach workers and pastors routinely headed to the hospital to cool tensions between rival gangs.
Those days are back, say police, former gang members and community leaders.
The city is on track to shatter its record annual homicide count of 70 in 1987. So far this year, 33 people have died in homicides and about 130 have been wounded in more than 400 shootings. Four people have been killed in the city since a week ago Sunday.
Four deadly shootings this week drove up Portland’s homicide count to 53, most in 26 years
Updated Dec 20, 2020;
Posted Dec 18, 2020
“The disparate impact of violence on our communities of color is shocking,” said Police Chief Chuck Lovell. “Our African American, Somali, Iraqi, Latino and other communities are grieving the loss of loved ones.” Mark Graves/StaffMark Graves
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this year, marking the most killings in the city since the early 1990s.
And 2020 isn’t over yet – setting up a grim vigil in what police across the country believe is a spasm of bloodshed influenced by the nation’s overwhelming health and economic calamities.