Bad: "Gang" riot and shooting by teens in mall (Portland, OR)

[ccw9mm]

Here's an interesting one. A group of young toughs and hoods gather in the shopping mall to pound their chests and test their ability to get imprisoned.

That area is a viper pit for gangs, hoodlums and wanna-be's. It seems every day there's some sort of violent disturbance within a few blocks of that whole shopping area. The light rail goes right through there, dropping off anyone who wants to toss in their ante to drug dealing, assault, robbery and whatever other crimes are up for grabs that day.

Two youths charged after Lloyd Center brawl and shooting

By Kimberly A.C. Wilson, The Oregonian
March 25, 2010, 11:20AM


A 17-year-old stands charged with attempted murder and a 16-year-old was charged with rioting in connection with a gang-related fight and shooting Wednesday evening at Lloyd Center Mall.

Portland Police officers were flagged down by mall security around 6:30 p.m., who reported that a large group of youths were clustered near the Footaction store, fighting and firing gunshots. Officers broke up the fight and eventually recovered two handguns. Three teen boys were detained after officers determined they had allegedly targeted a 19-year-old man.




Jaime Gomez, a salesman at the nearby Smart Wireless kiosk, said he saw a group of about twenty young men standing outside the Footaction yelling at another young man who was inside the store with a woman and two young children.

“The group was really trying to harass him, and the guy inside the Footaction action was just saying, 'Leave me alone. Get out of here',” Gomez said.

Gomez said that after about a minute of back and forth between the group outside the store and the person inside, a young man in the group fired four shots into the Footaction.

“He didn’t hit anybody, but he did hit the clothes," Gomez said.

The group then fled, but the person inside the store who was shot at stayed around until security arrived, Gomez said. Gomez said he was taken into custody after security officers realized he was also carrying a gun.

“The victim inside the Footaction really tried to minimize everything that was happening, but the knuckleheads outside decided to be the cowboys," Gomez said.

Shoppers in the mall were startled by the gunfire and commotion but no one was seriously wounded, police said.

Dru Rutledge, the manager at the time at the nearby Bath and Body Works store, said she heard what she thought was three gunshots, and she and others went to the front of the store to see what was happening.

“We looked out and we saw a gentleman running towards Macy’s away from the shoe store with mall security running after them. The mall security yelled at us to get to the back of the store," Rutledge said.

She and other employees herded the roughly ten customers in the store to behind a counter.

“Some of the women were pretty scared," Rutledge. “Some were just fine going into the back.”

Gang Enforcement Team investigators reviewed surveillance video, interviewed witnesses and then narrowed in on the 17-year-old as the shooter. He was arrested for attempted murder and the 16-year-old was charged with one count of riot.

Gang officers were already working in Holladay Park across the street from the mall at the time of the incident, a heightened effort to reduce any possible violence during spring break.

A witness from Eugene, andygerstlauer, tweeted: "A shooting just went down in lloyd center! All I heard was a couple shots and saw a TON of people running!!"

Witnesses with information concerning this incident are asked to call Detective Anthony Merrill at 503-823-2092.

-- Kimberly A.C. Wilson and Matthew Preusch

Comments on the newspaper's web site, regarding the article:

Comments

beark27
Posted by beark27
March 25, 2010, 10:03AM

we need more education for the youth and some serious gun control. the 1980s are repeating themselves, but this time the offenders are younger, stronger, and have no self control..
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mav400
Posted by mav400
March 25, 2010, 10:10AM

Crimes committed with firearms need stiffer sentences like the Feds implemented in Portland in the late 80's to curb the rising gang violence. Gang members laugh at the city police but when the feds show up it turns to a no laughing matter. Real Crime = Real Time.
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bobbyb67
Posted by bobbyb67
March 25, 2010, 10:11AM

I think bubba in the slammer could really educate these young men in a lot of ways they never imagines. Lock the punks up with Bubba!!!
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jokamojo
Posted by jokamojo
March 25, 2010, 10:13AM

this is very upsetting and unsettling for me. assuming (hopefully not making an arse of myself) these youth are minority teenage boys carrying and using firearms in an attempt to harm another person lends to the stereotypical view of us. us being african american, hispanic, asian and others that have been in the spotlight recently. i dont care if they are not adults yet...charge them like they are. maybe it will save their lives and the lives of their friends. they need to know that law enforcement officers will not hesitate to shut you down with lethal force armed or unarmed. this is not a jab at the cops, i appreciate MOST of the things they do, however i do not wish my child hurt or killed by LEO for noncompliance because of the training and split second decision they make due to the historical actions of other IDIOTS that bleed over onto other people from that culture. have a great safe day portland..=)
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donkeheehaaw
Posted by DonKeheehaaw
March 25, 2010, 10:43AM

"they need to know that law enforcement officers will not hesitate to shut you down with lethal force armed or unarmed."


Pointless when you're dealing with morons without a conscience.
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buckhunter07
Posted by buckhunter07
March 25, 2010, 10:22AM

Gun Control.......How steady can you hold?
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rwl1776
Posted by rwl1776
March 25, 2010, 10:31AM

Gun Control = Hitting what you aim for.

"When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns"

So, to those who want guns outlawed, you won't mind if the police came to your place and looked thru your entire house to see if YOU have guns would you? Come on, it's for the good of everyone!

Many thanks to the PPB for assisting the Mall Cop with apprehending these misguided youths. Excellent job!
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endersgame
Posted by endersgame
March 25, 2010, 10:32AM

When does the Rev. Jessie Jackson's flight land. What time is the march on city hall?
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prolifelib
Posted by LMJ-only-chokes-Beavs
March 25, 2010, 10:37AM

I just want to say thank you to all of the above posters on this article so far.

Whether you used humor or serious argument or concern. You have all so far refused from using worthless racial stereotypes,or even untrue stereotypes about Portland being the worst city in America.

Thank you so much to all of you for not sinking to the low level seen recently on Oregon live by the uneducated.

We will see how long that continues in this Post.

These people should be thankful Portland is the big city in their state and not: LA, Detroit, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Oakland, San Francisco, Atlanta, Miami, Charlotte, Birmingham, Jackson,Little Rock, Houston, Dallas, Columbus, ST. Louis, Cleveland, PHOENIX, Las Vegas, Tacoma, Spokane, Newark,Jersey City, Lexington, Shreveport, Port Arthur, Fort Worth, Tampa, MEMPHIS,NASHVILLE, Richmond, Atlantic City, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Omaha etc etc

Many in the rural south or conservative heartlands, all with much higher violent crime rates than Portland.
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dx740
Posted by dx740
March 25, 2010, 11:07AM

Our crime rate isn't as high as Detroit so we should be okay with the crime we do have? Gun toting teenage thugs are not acceptable and neither are the deadbeat, useless parents that spawned them. Throw the parents in jail as well since they are responsible for the end product.
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kimmlarsen
Posted by kimmo
March 25, 2010, 10:46AM

I think it just goes to show that teenagers need to be kept busy with work or social activities to avoid becoming bored and then getting into trouble. There just aren't enough things for kids to do.
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dx740
Posted by dx740
March 25, 2010, 11:02AM

Kids need things to do? Like going to school and getting an education? How about after school activities such as sports or even, dare I say, finding a job? Where are the parents and why are they letting these little wannabe thugs run around committing crimes?

Stop trying to place blame elsewhere and hold them and their parents accountable. What they all need is a good old fashioned ass whooping.
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barkbeetle
Posted by barkbeetle
March 25, 2010, 10:52AM

"i dont care if they are not adults yet...charge them like they are. maybe it will save their lives and the lives of their friends."

I agree.

But does the Oregonian?

Did they name names of the 17 yr old who is being charged with murder. Why did they not name him?

And also absent was any desciption of which gangs where involved? Maybe it was the Reed Heroin Users Polo Club gang trying to shake down other kids' lunch money.
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rickyrubio2
Posted by rickyrubio2
March 25, 2010, 11:16AM

No one has even mentioned the fact that you and your wife or children could have been walking out of a store right next to these gunslingers in front of the Foot Action Store and been blasted by one of these little Ceasar gang bangers who feel the need to kill someone in cold blood for some slight or disrespect or neighborhood gang they belong to.


We were stupid kids involved in drugs and alcohol for years but we never wanted to hurt people.


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SamSmall
Posted by Sam Small
March 26, 2010, 7:37AM

I hear you loud and clear yes we did our stupid crap but violence and guns were never a part of it.Why is that acceptable to them now?
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duneride
Posted by duneride
March 25, 2010, 11:18AM

I see a future in these guys on the UO football team.
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pilblooduo
Posted by pilblooduo
March 25, 2010, 11:40AM

Very disturbing to see a news article cite "twitter" in its article.

C'mon. How lazy is that reporting?

Twitter "quotes" have no place in a news article.

Sad.
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penseur
Posted by penseur
March 25, 2010, 11:43AM

Don't worry it'll be a Measure 11 charge with a mandatory 7 year sentence. Gun control will do nothing since most of these kids get the guns illegally anyway. The violence is a symptom of something gone terribly wrong in these kids' lives and in society as a whole. Judging and condemning the person does nothing to stop such problems. Kids join gangs and commit acts of violence when they have been abused and/or neglected. Many gang members have families that are serious drug abusers or mentally ill. Add to that a neighborhood where kids regularly witness domestic and other violence and aggression and school is merely one more place of disappointment, teasing and failure and you have one more gang member. Yes, there are some strong individuals who can pull themselves out of such settings but they usually have someone intervening or they have stuffed their reactions and will be dysfunctional in some other more societally acceptable way. The longer we continue to deny reality, the longers these problems will continue to exacerbate.
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gbudavid
Posted by gbudavid
March 25, 2010, 3:10PM

Measure 9mm is more appropriate. Measure 5.56 is also good....
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mort78
Posted by mort78
March 25, 2010, 11:57AM

Create a Gangster Appreciation Day in a large warehouse with several entrances for each particular gang and then let them settle their disputes behind locked doors so the rest of us can concentrate on the important things in life.These punks can shoot each other and each others' family all they want but please leave innocent people out of it.

Perhaps they can hold a gang convention out in Oregon City with the Followers of Christ parishoners and everyone can end their lives in a painful manner while solving problems with guns and violence while praying to God for the bullet holes and urinary tract infections to be healed rather than using common sense in the first place.
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mrnipper
Posted by mrnipper
March 25, 2010, 12:12PM

I'm visiting Portland soon from Mexico but I'm nervous.
Is it safe to go there ???
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EffBeeEye
Posted by EffBeeEye
March 25, 2010, 12:19PM

How ironic that a knife-wielding homeless man (a low-level threat) is shot to death by police, yet the shooter at the mall full of innocent bystanders (a high-level threat) was apprehended without injury. Too bad these outcomes cannot be exchanged with eachother.

So, does anyone think the shooter was "lawfully exercising his/her right to carry" ?
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slickk06
Posted by Slickk
March 25, 2010, 1:15PM

Don't be confused. These punks were stupid, not crazy. The homeless guy was stupid and crazy.
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bageler
Posted by bageler
March 25, 2010, 1:04PM

I am confused. We criticize the police when they stop 3 people (including the PCC student who is now complaining to the Portland City Council) walking down the middle of the street where one of them is is wearing a KC Royals (aka Kirby Crip) hat in a Kirby Crip neighborhood. Yet we also don't feel real safe when there is a shoot out at Lloyd Center. So which is it, Portland, do we want to proactively stop the punks and take their guns or do we want the police to act only when bullets fly?
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slickk06
Posted by Slickk
March 25, 2010, 1:10PM

These kids weren't gang bangers.

The pristeen, enviable, Utopian, uber liberal, idealistic, green city of Portland DOES NOT have gang members within its metropolitan boundries.


Oh contrare'.

These are merely sad, forlorn and disadvantaged youth---forgotten by

an unfair, uncaring, white male dominated corporate, capitalistic, ultra-

rich society---

Youth who merely paint their deepest emotions and dreams from the heart...

using the canvas of da' hood and the 9mm Glock.

Note: Having said this, just make sure you give them what they want when they stick the gun in your face :)
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mort78
Posted by mort78
March 25, 2010, 1:14PM

Even with the gun pointed at a person's face, gangsters only have a batter's average chance of hitting the intended target.
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amblyopia
Posted by amblyopia
March 25, 2010, 2:33PM

they fail to explain why the victim was taken into custody... they're leaving themselves open for major criticism there...

"So, does anyone think the shooter was "lawfully exercising his/her right to carry"?"

I do, absolutely... unless they had a prior gun conviction that wasn't mentioned... every wanna-be gang-banger has as much right as the rest of us to have a gun...
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troymcclure
Posted by troymcclure
March 25, 2010, 3:30PM

No, not lawfully. I seriously doubt the 17-year-old openly carried a pistol into the Lloyd Center in an unconcealed belt holster. But if he did, then he committed only five of the following six offenses before he drew that firearm:

misdemeanor - unlawful possession of a firearm (state) x 3: possession by a juvenile; transporting handgun within passenger compartment of vehicle; carrying concealed
felony - unlawful use of weapon by possession with intent to use unlawfully (state)
felony - possession of handgun by a juvenile (federal)
felony - possession of handgun ammunition by a juvenile (federal)
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danw2112
Posted by Dan
March 25, 2010, 4:32PM

I bet they are going to use this as an excuse to put in metal detectors, warrant-less checkpoints, and airport-style naked full body scanners at all Lloyd Center entrances. Another way to take away our Constitutional rights for the sake of pseudo-safety.
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[DefensiveCarry.com]

[gasmitty]

I guess Gecko 45 was busy with the ruckus in Roanoke, VA...

[dnowell]

My girlfriend was at that mall shortly before that happened. Sure glad she was out before.

[Chaplain Scott]

we KNOW that this is a false report; false, false, false After-all, in Portland, it is ABSOLUTEY illegal to carry a weapon--you can't even have a loaded gun in your CAR--nor can you even carry a loaded magazine or speed loader.

These fine, upstanding youth were obviously just out for a nice stroll, they must have found the gun and of course, since it is absolutely illegal to carry a concealed gun without a permit, they just didn't know anything about guns--it MUST have just gone off accidently........

My, what Portland has come down to..... I grew up NW of Portland, and about 37 years ago, bought the wedding ring for my wife there--doesn't sond like a safe place anymore.........

[ccw9mm]

My, what Portland has come down to.

doesn't sond like a safe place anymore.........

It's getting bad.

Much of it has been taken over by highly violent gangs. It's hard to see, in some places. In others, of course, there is the typical tagging and marks visible of the typical marking of territory. There's the run-down look that many neighborhoods and districts are getting. Gresham is getting national attention with its bloody nature, the past half dozen years.

There have been some dozens of shootings just since January. Lots of body bags.

Whatever else is true, this ain't your momma's Portland, anymore.

[Janq]

Dru Rutledge, the manager at the time at the nearby Bath and Body Works store, said she heard what she thought was three gunshots, and she and others went to the front of the store to see what was happening.

Stupid.

If I hear anything that I even remotely might think are gun shots, especially in or around a MALL!, I am not going to go toward the sound to see if I can get shot too. Stupid.
Rather I am going to leave, right now. If exit is not an option ten to the back store room I go through the door that says 'Employees Only' to seek concealment if not cover.

Somebody else can go see the people getting shot or to get shot themself.

- Janq

[TheGreatGonzo]

Yet another news story demonstrating the importance of being prepared and, wherever possible, being armed.
Gonzo

[2ndAmend]

I find it a little odd that they only mention once that the guy inside the store was "packing heat". And this is another reason why parents should slap the crap out of thier kids again.

[BigStick]

I grew up in Gresham, and got into more than one argument with my dad because he wouldn't let me ride MAX into Loyd Center with my friends. He always said it was too dangerous, but I didn't understand. I should give him a call and thank him for protecting me in my ignorant youth, even if I didn't appreciate it at the time.

[ccw9mm]

I grew up in Gresham, and got into more than one argument with my dad because he wouldn't let me ride MAX into Loyd Center with my friends. He always said it was too dangerous, but I didn't understand. I should give him a call and thank him for protecting me in my ignorant youth, even if I didn't appreciate it at the time.

I'm sure your father would appreciate that greatly. Dad knew best. Huh. Who knew?!

The Tri-Met MAX is a convergence of the unholies. It provides free transportation to criminals (not via plan; they simply fail to pay the toll, which isn't really monitored). It stops at some of the worst areas for crime and violence in the city, and it's getting worse in those areas because of it. Passengers on the trains experience a rising tide of assaults and robberies. Yet Tri-Met has an incredibly stiff anti-gun attitude. Combine all of these things, and you've got a terribly dangerous place to be. I wouldn't go unarmed on the Max train if it were the last thing I did.

[HahnsXD]

I'm sure your father would appreciate that greatly. Dad knew best. Huh. Who knew?!

The Tri-Met MAX is a convergence of the unholies. It provides free transportation to criminals (not via plan; they simply fail to pay the toll, which isn't really monitored). It stops at some of the worst areas for crime and violence in the city, and it's getting worse in those areas because of it. Passengers on the trains experience a rising tide of assaults and robberies. Yet Tri-Met has an incredibly stiff anti-gun attitude. Combine all of these things, and you've got a terribly dangerous place to be. I wouldn't go unarmed on the Max train if it were the last thing I did.

Is carry illegal on TriMet or just against the rules?

I just applied for my OR CHL the other day, there's a lot of places around Portland that I don't like being unarmed.

[Super Trucker]

I like to send stories like this to the managers of the local malls that post the no gun signs.

[ccw9mm]

Is carry illegal on TriMet or just against the rules?

It's stealing. It's a service that charges a fee, like a taxi cab. It's taking the ride without paying the fee for the service. It's theft, a crime. Absolutely. And it's done every day, because it's largely unmonitored.

I find it a little odd that they only mention once that the guy inside the store was "packing heat". And this is another reason why parents should slap the crap out of thier kids again.

Much of this comes down to crappy parenting, yes.

But, there is also a severe influx of uber-dangerous, organized criminal gangs, here. The worst of the worst that you've ever heard of. In a place that is blue-collar, old, with a large gap between rich and poor, it's a breeding ground amongst youth who see themselves as having no other avenue for standing tall than a life of violence.

[HahnsXD]

It's stealing. It's a service that charges a fee, like a taxi cab. It's taking the ride without paying the fee for the service. It's theft, a crime. Absolutely. And it's done every day, because it's largely unmonitored.

How is it theft if I pay for the ticket? Keep in mind I try to avoid the TriMet system at all costs but I'm just wondering.

[ccw9mm]

How is it theft if I pay for the ticket? Keep in mind I try to avoid the TriMet system at all costs but I'm just wondering.

You mistook my meaning. Obviously, theft only exists if payment is not made. And that's the point I was making about criminals riding around town easily, often without paying. That's what I said, though it appears that's not what was inferred. Apologies, for my part.

Carrying firearms, though, getting back to the other point of the post, isn't something Tri-Met likes. Since Portland city limits bar carry of loaded pistols, if someone open carries then it's highly likely to arouse the ire of Tri-Met's squads ... even if being legally carried. But, yes, carrying on public transportation is certainly absolutely legal here. No statutes bar that.