PORTLAND, Ore. — Federal officials on Friday identified two people wounded by a U.S. Border Patrol agent during a shooting in Portland, Oregon, describing the incident as an act of self-defense during a targeted vehicle stop, even as local authorities and community leaders called for transparency amid rising tensions over federal immigration enforcement.
The Department of Homeland Security said the shooting occurred Thursday after agents attempted to stop a vehicle and were met with what it described as a life-threatening situation. In a statement posted on the social media platform X, DHS identified the wounded individuals as “suspected Tren de Aragua gang associates,” a claim that local police said they were not yet in a position to independently verify.
According to DHS, the driver of the vehicle was identified as Luis David Nico Moncada, who the department alleged entered the United States illegally in 2022. The passenger, Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras, was accused by federal officials of playing a role in a prostitution ring linked to Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan-based criminal organization. DHS said she entered the U.S. in 2023.
Federal officials said the shooting unfolded after agents identified themselves and attempted to conduct what they described as a targeted vehicle stop involving a red Toyota in east Portland. Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, said the driver responded by attempting to flee and using the vehicle as a weapon.
“When agents identified themselves to the vehicle, the driver allegedly weaponized his vehicle and attempted to run over the law enforcement agents,” McLaughlin said. “Fearing for his life and safety, an agent fired defensive shots.”
McLaughlin said the driver fled the scene with the passenger after the shots were fired, and both were later treated for gunshot wounds. She added that the situation remained under investigation and that additional information would be released as it became available.
Two law enforcement sources familiar with the matter told NBC News that as the vehicle attempted to escape, it struck an agent, prompting another agent to fire at the car. Portland police officials, however, emphasized that they could not confirm those details because local officers were not present when the shooting occurred.
Portland Police Chief Bob Day said officers responded only after the incident had already unfolded and stressed that the city’s police department was not leading the investigation.
“We do not know the facts of this case,” Day said at a news conference. “Our role is to provide support to the FBI, which is the lead investigative agency.”
The FBI’s Portland field office said it was investigating what it described as “an assault on federal officers” involving two Customs and Border Protection agents. The agency confirmed that two individuals who fled the scene were later located and treated for their injuries.
The Portland shooting came just one day after another high-profile and deadly encounter involving federal immigration authorities, intensifying scrutiny of DHS operations. In Minneapolis, 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, a U.S. citizen and mother, was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer while she was seated in her car.
In that case, DHS also claimed the officer acted in self-defense, alleging that Good attempted to run over federal agents with her vehicle. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey publicly rejected that account, calling it “bulls—,” while witnesses said Good appeared to be attempting to flee rather than attack officers when she was shot.
The back-to-back incidents have heightened public concern and fueled protests and demands for accountability, particularly in cities that have long resisted aggressive federal immigration enforcement.
Chief Day acknowledged the broader context surrounding the Portland shooting, urging calm as investigators work to establish the facts.
“We understand the heightened emotion and tension many are feeling in the wake of the shooting in Minneapolis,” Day said in a statement. “But I am asking the community to remain calm as we work to learn more.”
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson sharply criticized the federal operation, condemning the shooting and calling for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to suspend activities in the city until a full investigation is completed. The incident occurred in Hazelwood, one of Portland’s largest and most diverse neighborhoods.
“I call on every Portlander to represent our values and to show up with calm and purpose during this difficult time,” Wilson said in a statement. “Portland does not respond to violence with violence. We respond with clarity, unity, and a commitment to justice.”
The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners echoed those concerns, issuing a statement that denounced what it described as escalating fear caused by federal enforcement actions.
“What we can say now is enough is enough,” the board said. “The terror and violence ICE is causing in our neighborhoods must end now.”
The conflicting narratives surrounding both the Portland and Minneapolis shootings have placed renewed focus on the use of force by federal immigration agents, particularly during vehicle stops. Civil rights advocates have long argued that such encounters carry a heightened risk of escalation, especially when agents operate in plain clothes or without clear coordination with local law enforcement.
DHS officials, for their part, have defended their agents’ actions, emphasizing the dangers officers face during enforcement operations and reiterating claims that vehicles have been used as weapons in both incidents. The department has said that internal reviews are underway, in addition to the FBI-led investigations.
Legal experts note that the outcome of those investigations could have broader implications, not only for the agents involved but also for how federal immigration operations are conducted in jurisdictions that oppose or limit cooperation with ICE and Customs and Border Protection.
In Portland, a city that has declared itself a sanctuary jurisdiction, the shooting has intensified an already fraught relationship between local leaders and federal authorities. The mayor’s call for ICE to halt operations underscores growing political pressure to reassess the scope and tactics of federal enforcement within city limits.
As investigations continue, officials at every level have urged patience, while residents and advocacy groups demand transparency and accountability. With two people wounded in Portland, one person dead in Minneapolis, and sharply divergent accounts of what transpired, the incidents have become flashpoints in the national debate over immigration enforcement, public safety and the use of deadly force by federal agents.
Authorities have said more details are expected to emerge in the coming days as investigators review evidence, interview witnesses and analyze body camera footage and other surveillance material. Until then, the shootings remain under intense scrutiny, reflecting a broader reckoning over how immigration laws are enforced and at what cost to community trust.
NBC
