PORTLAND, OREGON – A man is facing charges for firing a gun in downtown Portland, Oregon as protesters square of in the beleaguered city.
On Sunday, August 22, 2021 at 5:47p.m., Central Precinct officers responded to a report of shots heard in the area of Southwest 2nd Avenue and Southwest Yamhill Street. Officers learned of a suspect firing a gun, a description, and a direction of travel. Three minutes later they located the suspect at Southwest 3rd Avenue and Southwest Alder Street. He was arrested and a gun was seized as evidence (photo). Officers booked Dennis G. Anderson, 65, of Gresham, into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Unlawful Use of a Weapon.
No one reported injuries. There were numerous people in the area, including several people taking video and photographs. There are reports that witnesses may have removed evidence from the scene before police arrived.
Meanwhile, police reported that some individuals committed acts of violence and property destruction both in downtown Portland and in the Argay Terrace Neighborhood after some people physically challenged each other.
On Sunday, August 22, 2021 at 12:30p.m., demonstrators started gathering in the area of Salmon Street Springs in Tom McCall Waterfront Park downtown. As the crowd grew, Portland Police observed aggressive behavior toward others in the area. By about 2:30 p.m., several hundred people had gathered at the location.
By 1:30 p.m., a group of people had gathered in a parking lot at Northeast 122nd Avenue and Northeast Sandy Boulevard. At about 4:00 p.m., a small number of people came together and committed acts of violence and destruction at the Northeast Portland location. People were lighting fireworks and dispersing chemical spray, as well as firing what appeared to be paintball and/or airsoft guns. Some property destruction was observed. Most of the involved individuals have left the area.
There were no immediate arrests, but detectives are reviewing evidence to determine whether charges can be brought for any criminal activity. As stated before today’s events, officers were not deployed to stand in between individuals intent on confronting one another. But that does not mean the crimes committed will not be addressed. Arrests do not always happen in the moment. As in past such events, we are conducting follow-up investigations, gathering evidence, and will make arrests when probable cause exists that specific persons committed crimes. Just because arrests are not made at the scene, when tensions are high, does not mean that people are not being charged with crimes later.
“While it’s disappointing that some people chose to engage violently, I am grateful for those who exercised their rights peacefully and without committing crimes,” said Chief Chuck Lovell. “I also thank the Portland Police personnel who came in to work today on their day off, and those who were responding to calls for service citywide.”
Sure, let them loot and burn down the cities but arrest someone for firing a gun in the air.
Do you have a clue how dangerous that is? There is no telling where that bullet is going to come down, but it WILL come down. If it had wind drift, and came down in a crowd, it would have the POTENTIAL of killing or maiming some one.
You do not know much about ballistics of fired bullets!
Enlighten me. Since you are the smart one on ballistics.
Yes, for simplicity’s sake, I didn’t bother to bring up the coriolis effect adding to the drifting, the drag coeffients of the air, the type of powder (for energy per grain), humidity, actual wind speed and direction, temperature, or even the time of day(due to heat from ground rising. I was trying to keep it simple for most people.
But please, DO enlighten me oh wise one.