The two people shot in a confrontation with federal officers in Portland had ties to a Venezuelan gang, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
In a statement, DHS said the shooting occurred after the occupants of the vehicle “weaponized” the car against federal agents, prompting an officer to open fire in what the agency described as self-defense.
The agency defended the Border Patrol agent's actions, saying he “took immediate action to defend himself and others.”
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Portland Mayor Keith Wilson called for a transparent investigation into the shooting.
“We are calling on ICE to halt all operations in Portland until a full and independent investigation can take place,” Wilson said in a statement.
DHS identified the driver as Luis David Nico Moncada, a Venezuelan national who allegedly had ties to the Tren de Aragua gang. DHS said Moncada entered the United States illegally in 2022 and was later arrested on charges including driving under the influence and unauthorized use of a vehicle. He is subject to a final order of removal, the agency said.
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The passenger was identified as Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras, also a Venezuelan national whom DHS described as an undocumented immigrant associated with Tren de Aragua. DHS said she entered the U.S. illegally in 2023 near El Paso, Texas, and alleged she later played a role in a prostitution operation tied to the gang and was connected to a prior shooting in Portland.
The current conditions of Moncada and Zambrano-Contreras were not released.
