US Gun Violence & Murder Records Spiking, As Woman killed in Portland Shooting

By Staff, Agencies 

Portland, like many large cities in the United States, is grappling with increasing gun violence. Last year saw a record high number of shootings and 90 homicides in Portland. The previous record was 66 homicides. And there were more shootings in January 2022 than in January 2021, according to police data.

Portland Police and city officials say the violence has taken its toll on the Black community the most. They blamed controversies involving gangs, drug deals and disputes among homeless people. The situation is exacerbated by the pandemic, economic hardship and mental health crisis.

“We are experiencing a public safety crisis and it is affecting everyone,” City Councilor Mingus Mapps said in a statement.

The most recent incident is a shooting Saturday night in Portland’s Rose City Park neighborhood that caused the death of a woman and the injury of five other people.

Portland police responded about 8 p.m. to a reported shooting near Northeast 55th Avenue and Hassalo Street, which is roughly the southwest corner of Normandale Park. Officers found the woman dead.

Five other wounded people – three women and two men – were taken to hospitals. Neither their conditions nor the circumstances of the shooting were immediately clear.

The shooting came as demonstrators gathered at Normandale Park for a march seeking justice for Amir Locke, Patrick Kimmons “and all others,” according to a graphic promoting the demonstration on social media.

The 43-year-old Portland man, Benjamin Smith, was charged with murder on Tuesday.

Smith was charged with one count of murder in the second degree with a firearm, four counts of attempted murder in the first degree with a firearm, two counts of assault in the first degree with a firearm, and two counts of assault in the second degree with a firearm.

Police Chief Chuck Lovell in Portland said at a news conference on Tuesday that the shooting arose from a confrontation between “an armed resident of the area and armed protesters,” but the police and other law enforcement officials declined to provide details about what unfolded Saturday night or say who shot Smith.

The police identified the woman who was killed as Brandy Knightly, 60, who was shot in the head at close range and died on the scene, according to the affidavit.