(PORTLAND, Ore.) Hello Portlanders! It's Wednesday, Aug. 23 - Here's your daily round up of all the news happening in the City of Roses.
1. 1 arrested, 1 injured in shooting outside Pioneer Courthouse Square
Officials said one person was injured in a shooting near Pioneer Courthouse Square in downtown Portland Tuesday night. There was a heavy police presence near Southwest 5th and Morrison around 9:30 p.m. Witnesses said they heard one gunshot then saw the shooter walking down the street. They said they called 911 and talked with dispatchers about where the suspect was, and helped police track the suspect down.
Portland police said they detained one man for further investigation. The victim was taken to a hospital, but authorities said they believe the injuries were not life-threatening.
2. Serial killer convicted of killing 4 women found dead
A serial killer who pleaded guilty to killing four women in the 80s and 90s, and received time-served in a plea deal last year, was found dead in his Portland home last month. According to Portland police, Homer Lee Jackson III was found dead by his sister on July 18 at his home on North Emerald Avenue. Police said he had recently been ill and weighed only 75-80 pounds. Foul play is not suspected.
Last January, Jackson pleaded guilty to killing four young women - Tonya Harry, Angela Anderson, Latanga Watts and Lawauna Triplet - in the 80s and 90s. All of the women were victims of sex trafficking, according to PPB. Jackson was in jail for six and a half years awaiting trial, and was sentenced to time served and three years probation.
Jackson was also accused of killing Essie Jackson, who was found dead on March 23, 1983, but those charges were later dismissed.
3. New reports finds city illegally seized, destroyed boats from public docks
According to a new report from the City Ombudsman, Portland Parks & Recreation routinely didn’t follow proper procedures to remove boats from public docks in 2022, illegally seizing and destroying six private boats from city-managed docks and regularly providing inaccurate information to boat owners about when their boats could be seized.
“The unlawful tows impacted vulnerable and marginalized community members, including some who were living on their vessels,” the Ombudsman’s Office said in a news release.
The investigation was sparked after a boat owner filed a complaint in October 2022. Upon reviewing the complaint, the Ombudsman found that Portland Parks towed the person’s boat without waiting 10 business days (the required time period) and the boat was immediately destroyed after it was towed, rather than being stored for 30 days.
The Ombudsman recommended that the city revise its boat towing protocol to comply with city code and state law, and notify boat owners of their right to file a liability claim. The city reportedly agreed to the recommendations.
Thanks for reading! See you tomorrow with all the latest Portland news.
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