The Portland Police Bureau will be adding resources to the downtown area this weekend following a tragic shooting on July 17th in which 18-year-old Makayla Maree Harris was killed and six people were injured.

The Enhanced Community Safety Team (ECST) will have investigators on duty and in uniform and working with FBI Agents throughout the coming weekend.

They'll act as a high visibility presence in the community, aimed at deterring those who are considering committing crimes. They will coordinate with on-scene supervisors to respond to crimes, gather information, witness statements, and evidence, and immediately follow-up on leads.

The FBI will provide investigative support and look for any appropriate nexus to federal crimes.

In addition, during early morning hours, officers from the North and East Precinct will be reassigned to Central Precinct to provide additional resources.

According to PPB, calls to 911 in those precincts will be prioritized for ones that present a danger to life safety. Lower priority calls may not be answered until resources are available.

The PPB released a statement asking the community if possible, to report incidents online, or, try calling at a later time.

"Last week's tragic shooting reverberated throughout the community," said Chief Chuck Lovell. "We are seeing almost nightly violence, but as things open up, we want people to feel safe, as they come downtown and gather in the Entertainment District. We are trying to use our resources effectively in order to accomplish this while also responding to 911 calls.


--Bruce Armstrong

Post Date: 2021-07-23 11:21:15

Last Update: 2021-07-23 11:33:45