PORTLAND, OR – During a news conference on Friday, Portland Police Chief Bob Day told reporters that the two people shot by federal agents on Thursday are connected to the Venezuelan gang known at Tren de Aragua. “What I can say is there is an association with the two folks yesterday and TDA,” he said.
At the same time, Chief Day insisted that “this in no way draws a throughline to the actions and behaviors that occurred (on Thursday).”
His comments came within hours of a social media post by the Department of Homeland Security which identified the man and woman shot as Luis David Nico Moncada and Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras and referred to both as “suspected Tren de Aragua gang associates.”
A federal investigation is underway, and Day said his officers are providing support to the FBI, but also said PPB is not conducting an investigation of its own.
Portland Police say officers responded to the shooting outside of a medical clinic, and six minutes later, they got a call from a man who had been shot. Officers found a man and a woman in a car with gunshot wounds. Officers applied tourniquets until medics arrived and the two people were taken to a hospital. Homeland Security claims agents were making a traffic stop on the suspected gang members when the driver tried to run down an agent and shots were fired.
In reaction to the shooting, Governor Tina Kotek said Homeland Security is destroying public trust in the federal government. The governor made the comment Thursday at news conference featuring Chief Day, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson, and other regional officials. Kotek insisted when the President endorses actions that tear families apart it fosters an environment of lawlessness and recklessness. Kotek also said there must be a full and transparent investigation that involves Portland Police and the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office.
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