PORTLAND, Ore. — Two people were shot and wounded by immigration agents near a hospital in Portland, Oregon.
The Department of Homeland Security said the passenger inside the car was “a Venezuelan illegal alien affiliated with the transnational Tren de Aragua prostitution ring” who was involved in a shooting in Portland, The Associated Press reported.
Two shot identified
Updated 1:34 p.m. ET, Jan. 9: The Department of Homeland Security officials have identified the two people who were shot on Thursday night.
The driver was Luis David Nico Moncada and the passenger was Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras, the AP reported.
Both were conscious and talking to police when they were taken by ambulance to a hospital, witnesses said, according to The New York Times.
An EMT told a dispatcher that Zambrano-Contreras had a gunshot wound to the chest while Moncada had two gunshot wounds, the newspaper reported.
Their identities were released in a DHS post on X.
They were both from Venezuela and entered the country illegally, officials said. Moncada came to the U.S. in 2022, while Zambrano-Contreras came in 2023.
DHS alleged that Moncada was suspected of being a member of Tren de Aragua and had previous arrests for driving under the influence and unauthorized use of a vehicle, the AP reported.
The agency said Zambrano-Contreras “played an active role in a Tren de Aragua prostitution ring and was involved with a prior shooting in Portland.”
Tren de Aragua is a gang that is connected to a prison in Venezuela, The New York Times reported.
While the connections of Moncada and Zambrano-Contreras to the gang were provided by the DHS, city and state law enforcement have not confirmed the link, the Times reported. However, the newspaper pointed out, the apartment complex where the pair drove to after the shooting had been the site of drug activity and crime, officials said
Original report: It was part of a “targeted vehicle stop,” and the driver allegedly tried to run the agents over, DHS said in a statement.
“Fearing for his life and safety, an agent fired a defensive shot,” the statement continued. “The driver drove off with the passenger, fleeing the scene.”
The statement was posted on X.
There has been no confirmation that the passenger had any gang affiliation, the AP reported.
Police received reports of a shooting near Adventist Health and then a report of a man who had been shot, asking for help in a residential area a few miles from the clinic.
That’s when police found a man and a woman with gunshot wounds and determined that they were the people involved with the incident.
The pair were taken to a hospital, KATU reported. Their conditions are not known, but Portland City Council President Elana Pirtle-Guiney said she believes they are still alive.
Portland Police Chief Bob Day said the FBI is leading the investigation, the AP reported.
The shooting came a day after a woman was shot and killed by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minneapolis.
As in the Minneapolis case, local leaders spoke out about the influx of immigration officers in some cities.
Mayor Keith Wilson called on the government to end the operations in the city until an independent investigation into Thursday’s incident is complete.
Gov. Tina Kotek demanded cooperation with local law enforcement by federal agencies for the investigation.
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield has started an investigation into the shooting, KPTV reported.
“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,” he said, according to KPTV.
Republican Sen. Christine Drazan fired back, saying that she wants arrests of transnational gang members and “An investigation is underway. That investigation will determine whether today’s use of force was warranted. The last thing we need in a moment like this is a bunch of grandstanding politicians exploiting this situation and inciting fear to advance their own political agendas.”
Drazan is challenging Kotek the race for governor of Oregon, KATU reported.