By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
- • Federal immigration officers shot and wounded two people during a targeted vehicle stop in Portland, Oregon, on Jan. 8, 2026, authorities said.
- • The Department of Homeland Security said agents fired after the driver allegedly attempted to run over them; there is no independent confirmation of that account yet.
- • Portland police found the wounded man and woman at a nearby location and transported them to hospitals; their conditions have not been released.
- • Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield and local officials called for investigations into whether federal officers acted outside their authority.
- • Hundreds protested outside the local ICE facility following the incident, heightening tensions over federal enforcement actions.
PORTLAND, OR — Federal immigration officers shot and wounded two people Thursday afternoon during a targeted vehicle stop in Southeast Portland, authorities said.
Jenny Kane/AP
Portland police responding to reports of gunfire about 2:18 p.m. found a man and a woman with apparent gunshot wounds at a residential location several blocks from the initial encounter, police said. Officers provided aid and summoned medical personnel before the individuals were transported to local hospitals; their conditions were not immediately available.
The Department of Homeland Security said U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents were conducting a targeted vehicle stop near Adventist Health Portland when the vehicle’s driver allegedly attempted to run over the agents after they identified themselves. A DHS spokesperson said an agent fired in self-defense, striking both occupants before they fled the scene. There has been no independent confirmation of the account or of the alleged gang affiliations cited by DHS.
Portland officials, including Mayor Keith Wilson and Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, held a press conference calling for a halt to federal immigration operations until a full and independent investigation is completed. Local leaders also urged residents to remain calm amid heated reactions from community members following the incident.
The FBI has taken the lead on the investigation into the shooting, and local police said that many details remain unclear as inquiries continue. The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of federal law enforcement tactics following a separate fatal shooting involving immigration agents in Minneapolis one day earlier.