Portland Public Schools officials said Tuesday that two students suffered non-life-threatening injuries after a shooting near Jefferson High School.
Portland Police Bureau Lt. Nathan Sheppard said the shooting took place around 4 p.m. near the gymnasium after school was out for the day. Sheppard confirmed one student was shot in the leg and was taken to the hospital for treatment. In a statement Tuesday evening, the police bureau said the shooting happened outside the school and that the injured student fled into the building.
“There’s also an unsubstantiated report that another student was hit in one of the extremities with not a very serious wound,” Sheppard said. “We’re still working on that lead to determine what caused their injury.”
Police tape blocks off North Commercial Street near Jefferson High School after shots were filed on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022.
Jonathan Levinson / OPB
In a statement, Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell expressed concern that gun violence was directed at children but said he was grateful no one was killed.
Police had not made any arrests Tuesday, and said they did not immediately have any suspects in the shooting. Sheppard said it wasn’t clear who the intended target was, but he said there were many young people in the area when the shooting happened.
A vehicle crashed along North Alberta Street between Vancouver and Williams avenues, near the scene of the shooting. Sheppard said it wasn’t immediately clear if the two crime scenes were related, though police had cordoned off both areas Tuesday afternoon.
By 5 p.m., school officials began slowly releasing students from Jefferson High School. Portland Public Schools officials said students still on campus were released to parents at the school’s Kerby Street exit.
This is a developing story. Watch for updates.