Another shooting involving federal agents happened again this week, this time in Oregon.
On Thursday afternoon, federal immigration officers opened fire during a confrontation in Portland, wounding two people and escalating tensions already boiling after a deadly ICE-involved shooting just a day earlier in Minnesota.
According to the Portland Police Bureau, officers were dispatched at 2:18 p.m. to reports of a shooting outside Adventist Health hospital. Minutes later, police received another call from a neighborhood a few miles away, where a man who had been shot was asking residents for help. Officers found both a man and a woman suffering from gunshot wounds and later determined their injuries came from the earlier encounter involving federal agents. Police applied a tourniquet to one of the victims. Authorities have not released information about their conditions.
By nightfall, the shooting had sparked outrage across the city. Hundreds of protesters flooded the area outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building, demanding accountability and transparency. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield said his office would investigate “whether any federal officer acted outside the scope of their lawful authority” and refer charges to prosecutors if necessary.
The Department of Homeland Security pushed back with its own explanation, claiming the passenger in the vehicle was “a Venezuelan illegal alien affiliated with the transnational Tren de Aragua prostitution ring” and linked to a recent shooting in Portland. According to DHS, agents approached the car during a “targeted vehicle stop,” but the situation turned dangerous when the driver allegedly tried to hit them with the vehicle.
“Fearing for his life and safety, an agent fired a defensive shot,” the department said. “The driver drove off with the passenger, fleeing the scene.”
That account has not been independently confirmed, and officials have not released evidence backing claims of gang ties. Civil rights advocates note that in previous ICE-involved shootings during President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdowns, video footage later raised serious questions about official narratives — including the fatal shooting of a woman in Minneapolis on Wednesday.
At 7:59 p.m. Thursday, Rayfield announced a formal state investigation, signaling Oregon’s growing resistance to federal enforcement actions it views as aggressive and unchecked.
“We have been clear about our concerns with excessive use of force by federal agents in Portland and nationally. We have also been clear about our intent to investigate circumstances involving federal agents to ensure they are accountable to acting within the scope of their official duties. Today’s incident only heightens the need for transparency and accountability. Our office will take every step necessary to ensure that the rights and security of Oregonians are protected.”
With two ICE-related shootings in two days, Portland’s incident is now part of a broader national reckoning, as protests spread and scrutiny intensifies over how — and when — federal immigration agents are using deadly force.