Portland’s Other Epidemic: Gun Violence

Portland has a gun-violence problem. A big one. And it’s increasingly likely that your neighborhood or family has been impacted by it. According to the Portland Police Bureau (PPB), shooting incidents in which a firearm was discharged and reported to the PPB more than doubled from 2019 to 2020.

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s office recently launched a dashboard to show how many weapons-violations charges have been prosecuted from 2019 to 2021. Those statistics illustrate the increase in gun violence as well. Outer eastside neighborhoods such as Southeast’s Lents, Rockwood and Centennial neighborhoods have the highest rates of weapons violations prosecuted, while Southwest neighborhoods such as Hayhurst, Maplewood and Multnomah Village have less than a handful. And 97267, the area just south of Milwaukie and home to the Oak Grove and Jennings Lodge neighborhoods had only one weapons violation prosecuted in three years. If gun violence has affected your family or neighborhood, first of all, we’re sorry. No family should have to go through the trauma gun violence imparts. If you want to make your voice heard on this issue, find your local legislators at myreps.datamade.us and urge them to take immediate action.

Sources: City of Portland, Multnomah County District Attorney

Denise Castañon
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