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Portland: Man shot dead on sidelines of protest

August 30, 2020

The man was shot dead after a caravan with thousands of pro-Trump supporters left the city. Police have not released details about the victim's identity or comment on the motive behind the shooting.

https://p.dw.com/p/3hmee
Security forces deployed in Portland
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/P. Bronstein

Portland police put out a call for witnesses on Sunday following a fatal shooting that took place in the aftermath of clashes between supporters and opponents of President Donald Trump.  

Authorities called on the public to send videos or photos of the incident and for any eyewitnesses to come forward. They have not yet released details about the identity of the man who was killed or information on the shooter. 

"It is still early in this investigation, and I ask everyone to give the detectives time to do their important work before drawing conclusions about what took place," Police Chief Chuck Lovell said, adding that the violence was "completely unacceptable." 

Reporters on the scene said the deceased man was wearing a hat bearing the insignia of the far-right group Patriot Prayer — a group that has clashed with Black Lives Matter protesters in Portland in recent weeks. 

Kenosha unrest: DW's Stefan Simons reports

Victim shot after rally 

The shooting erupted on Saturday evening around 15 minutes after a pro-Trump caravan with around 600 vehicles left downtown, police said in a statement. 

Read more: UN says Jacob Blake shooting shows issue of racism in US police

The victim sustained a gunshot wound to the chest and did not survive. Police have not said whether the killing was tied to the protests. 

Around 2,500 Trump supporters took part in the rally which clogged up roads and saw clashes with left-wing groups in the city. 

Portland and other US cities have seen weeks of protests against systemic racism and police brutality. The demonstrations were sparked by the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes.  

The shooting in Portland comes on the heels of a deadly shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin — where two people were killed on Wednesday during protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man. A 17-year-old gunman has been arrested over the killings. Trump himself plans to travel to Kenosha on Tuesday to meet with law enforcement officials. 

rs/sri (AP, dpa)