A man got shot and killed on Saturday as a large group of President Donald Trump's supporters traveled in a caravan through downtown Portland, Oregon, that has witnessed nightly protests for the last three months.
The pro-Trump rally attracted hundreds of trucks that were filled with supporters into the city. At times, there were clashes between the Trump supporters and the counterprotesters on the streets as people shot paintball guns from trucks and protesters threw objects at them.
Man Dead due to Gunshot to Chest
A video clip that has been claimed to be of the shooting incident showed a small group of people on the road as gunfire erupted and a man collapsed in the street. The man who got shot and killed was wearing a hat having the symbol of Patriot Prayer, which is a far-right group based in Portland, as confirmed by The New York Times.
The Portland Police Bureau stated that the officers heard reports of gunfire just before 9 pm and discovered a victim with a gunshot wound on the chest. They did not give any information about a possible gunman, as per the latest reports.
The cops blocked off the road as the medics attended to the person. The shooting incident happened in a week when the police in Kenosha repeatedly shot a black man named Jacob Blake that prompted new protests against racism and police brutality. During the unrest, a 17-year-old resident of Illinois named Kyle Rittenhouse was also charged with connection to the shootings of two protesters.
Protests in Portland
Portland has been witnessing demonstrations after the death of George Floyd and in recent times right-wing demonstrations have also increased in the city. According to reports, the supporters of Trump gathered earlier on Saturday in the suburbs to start their rally. But some of the rallies went directly downtown, where all the counterprotesters confronted a few of the vehicles. The clash led to fistfights.
The police have made a dozen arrests in recent times in Portland as they chased protesters through the streets sometimes knocking them to the ground. Trump has been repeatedly criticizing the role of the city's leaders in stopping the protests. He even tweeted on Friday that the Federal government will go inside the city if the mayor could not maintain control.
On the other hand, police are also investigating another incident of a shooting that took place in southeast Portland on Saturday night. The police located a victim at the Southeast Water Avenue near the Hawthorne Bridge. The man had a gunshot wound on his chest and he was taken to an area hospital. The police have described his condition as critical and stated that the shooting is not related to Saturday's protest, as per the latest reports. An investigation into the matter is currently going on.
