Border Patrol Shoots Two in Portland Amid National Outcry After Minneapolis Killing
Border Patrol agents shot two people in Portland after a targeted vehicle stop; DHS released suspects' names and allegations, sparking widespread protests and multiple investigations.
Overview
Border Patrol agents shot a man and woman in Portland’s Hazelwood neighborhood; both hospitalized after officers found apparent gunshot wounds following reports of two related shooting locations.
DHS identified the agents as U.S. Border Patrol, later naming the victims as Luis David Nico Moncada and Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras and alleging Tren de Aragua links without evidence.
DHS and White House statements say agents performed a targeted vehicle stop, alleged the driver 'weaponized' the vehicle, and an agent fired in self-defense; some accounts and footage raise questions.
Local leaders including Mayor Keith Wilson, Gov. Tina Kotek and Rep. Maxine Dexter demanded ICE halt operations; hundreds protested outside City Hall and the Portland ICE facility, with arrests reported.
Oregon’s attorney general opened an investigation; the FBI and federal agencies are reviewing the incident. The shooting follows Renée Good’s killing in Minneapolis, heightening scrutiny.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the incident around federal and police accounts, foregrounding DHS claims of Tren de Aragua ties, prior arrests and the agent’s 'defensive' action. Editorial choices—prominent DHS quotes, named identities and limited independent verification or defense statements—tilt coverage toward a law‑and‑order narrative over community perspectives.
Sources (27)
FAQ
The two people shot by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Portland were identified as Luis David Nico (or Nino) Moncada and Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras, both Venezuelan nationals; Moncada was shot in the arm, Zambrano-Contreras in the chest, and authorities say both underwent surgery and are in stable condition in federal custody.
According to DHS, Border Patrol agents conducted a targeted vehicle stop in an Adventist Health parking lot, identified themselves, and say the driver, Moncada, then “weaponized his vehicle” by attempting to run over agents, prompting one agent to fire multiple defensive shots in fear for his life, after which the couple drove away before later calling 911 for help.
The DHS account has been questioned because defense attorneys and at least one witness dispute that the couple tried to run over agents, and video and other accounts reportedly suggest the pair drove off after agents banged on the car window, raising doubts about whether the vehicle was used as a weapon and whether the shooting was justified.
Portland police and DHS say Moncada and Zambrano-Contreras surfaced in an investigation into a July shooting tied to the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang, but the police chief has stated they have not been named as suspects or charged in that earlier case, and officials have not publicly provided evidence of concrete gang involvement.
The shooting prompted large protests and vigils at Portland City Hall and the local ICE facility, where some demonstrators were arrested, while officials including Portland’s mayor, Oregon’s governor, and other state leaders publicly condemned the incident, urged federal immigration operations to pause, and supported investigations by the Oregon attorney general, FBI, and other agencies.
History
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