Agents of the US Customs and Border Protection service injured two people in Portland, Oregon. Both injured individuals were taken to the hospital. Police urged residents to remain calm.
The incident occurred the day after an immigration officer shot a woman in Minneapolis, which sparked a wave of public outrage and protests, reports the BBC.
"We understand the tension and emotions following the shooting in Minneapolis, but I ask everyone to remain calm while we ascertain the circumstances of the incident," stated Portland Police Chief Bob Day, clarifying that police officers were not involved in the incident.
The FBI stated that agents of the US Customs and Border Protection service were involved in the shooting in Portland. The US Department of Homeland Security explained its agents' actions as self-defense.
The injured are in the hospital; their condition is currently unknown.
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson stated that "one cannot remain indifferent when constitutional guarantees are undermined and the number of victims grows." He called for the suspension of all operations by federal immigration agencies, including ICE, in Portland until a full investigation is completed.
According to police, officers responded to a call and found a man and a woman with apparent gunshot wounds. Police applied a tourniquet and called an ambulance.
Portland City Council President Elana Pirtle-Guiney, cited by ABC News, stated that, according to her information, both injured individuals remain alive.
The US Department of Homeland Security reported that Border Patrol agents were conducting a targeted vehicle inspection.
The department's statement said that the driver, who is allegedly a member of a Venezuelan gang, attempted to run over the agents. In response, according to the ministry, "an agent fired a shot in self-defense," after which the driver and passenger left the scene.
In Minneapolis the day before, an officer of another American agency within the Department of Homeland Security — US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — shot a woman. According to the official version, local resident Renee Good attempted to run over an ICE officer with her car. Local authorities, relying on video of the incident, strongly reject this version.
The incident occurred during a protest against ICE's actions in enforcing immigration law.
In Minneapolis and some other cities in Minnesota, protests took place on Wednesday and Thursday against the actions of the immigration service and the Trump administration.
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