Two people were shot in Portland, Oregon, in an incident that involved US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents, the FBI’s Portland office said in a social media post Thursday evening. The Department of Homeland Security said the victims are undocumented immigrants from Venezuela and accused them of gang ties. DHS claimed the vehicle’s driver tried to hit agents, and they fired in self-defence,  a similar explanation given for the recent Minneapolis shooting, involving an ICE agent.

Law enforcement sources told CNN that the two occupants of the car, a husband and wife, later went to a separate medical facility for treatment of alleged gunshot injuries. They were arrested at the facility, and their current conditions remain unknown.

ABC News reported that the two were shot “by federal agents.” Portland’s City Council session was interrupted due to security concerns, which can be seen on the city’s YouTube page. A city councilman reassured the public on Blue Sky, saying, “Everyone is okay at City Hall right now. More will be shared asap.”

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Two injured in Portland shooting involving Federal agents

The City of Portland said a man and a woman were found with gunshot wounds, and their conditions are currently unknown. Local police were not involved in the shooting. Officers on the scene used a tourniquet, and both victims were taken to a hospital.

According to DHS, at 2:19 p.m. PT, Border Patrol agents were conducting a targeted vehicle stop. The passenger was a Venezuelan migrant linked to the Tren de Aragua prostitution ring and a recent Portland shooting. DHS said the driver, believed to be a gang member, tried to run over agents, forcing an agent to fire in self-defence. The vehicle then fled with the passenger. “This situation is evolving, and more information is forthcoming,” DHS said.

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek has called for a complete and thorough investigation into the shooting that took place in Portland on Thursday. Speaking at a news conference later in the day, she said the focus should be on finding answers, not on making more arrests.

Video: Damaged car abandoned in Portland

A video from CNN affiliate KPTV in Portland, Oregon, shows a black car linked to the shooting involving US Customs and Border Protection agents. The car was left with its doors open in a hospital parking lot.

The front bumper of the vehicle looks damaged, and debris is scattered around it, according to the video. A law enforcement source told CNN that the two people were shot at one location and then drove away. They were later taken to the hospital from a different location.

FBI’s statement

“FBI Portland is investigating an assault on a federal officers that happened at approximately 2:15pm near the 10000 block of Main St. in Portland involving two Customs and Border Patrol agents,” the statement from the FBI Portland office said. “The two assailants fled the scene immediately following the shooting and are currently being treated for their injuries. This remains an active and ongoing investigation led by the FBI,” department said in a statement.

A federal law enforcement source told CNN that no Border Patrol agents were injured during the shooting. The Department of Homeland Security said the situation is still developing and more information may be released later.

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Calls to end federal operations in Portland

Portland officials have called for federal agents to leave the city. Mayor Keith Wilson, in a post on X, said, “We cannot sit by while constitutional protections erode and bloodshed mounts. Portland is not a ‘training ground’ for militarised agents, and the ‘full force’ threatened by the administration has deadly consequences,” 

Congresswoman Maxine Dexter and Senator Ron Wyden also demanded that federal operations stop, citing concerns over violence and constitutional protections.  “ICE must immediately end all active operations in Portland.”