Two killed, seven injured in Portland shooting

Violent incidents have increased in the last six months

PORTLAND: Two people have been killed and seven others seriously injured in separate shootings in the U.S. city of Portland, Oregon. The city has seen an increase in violent incidents in the last six months.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler called the shootings "epidemic" and said he would try to deploy more officers and resources to the Portland Police Bureau. Demonstrations have been going on in Portland for the past few months against police brutality and racial injustice following the death of black George Floyd in Minneapolis.

In addition, more than 570 incidents of violence have surfaced in the city so far this year. Which is twice as much as last year. Half of these incidents of violence are group-related, police said.

According to Portland Police Chief Chuck Lowell, it is too early to say whether Saturday's shooting was group-related. He further added that the deaths and injuries of 13 people in 11 incidents of firing in the last 38 hours were shocking.

According to Lowell, the news of yesterday's shooting was received at 2.11 pm. Shortly afterwards, news of another shooting was received. Four hours later there were reports of two other shootings in which one person was killed and a woman was seriously injured.