‘Just numb’: North Portland family heartbroken after losing daughter in shooting

PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - Shirlene Beaver turned 35 years old less than a week before her life was cut short.

Portland police said she was shot and killed last Wednesday before 8:30 p.m. in Northeast Portland. A man was also shot and sent to the hospital.

“I think we all were just numb. It was hard to believe because she was at home,” Beaver’s mom, Rosalyn Hickmon, said.

Hickmon is devastated she won’t get to see her daughter live out her plans.

“She never had a chance to have children. So those are grandchildren we’ll never know. She was just starting back to school to be an RN,” she said.

Police said Beaver’s death is the 82nd homicide the City of Portland has seen this year and the 68th shooting death.

RELATED: Police identify homicide victim in Northeast Portland shooting

While the circumstance surrounding this shooting are not known, Hickmon said she and Beaver were in support of Measure 114, a ballot measure during this election cycle. It would require people to get a criminal background check, a permit and complete a safety training to buy a gun.

Despite the potential gun law change on the horizon, she’s heartbroken she’s now among the Portland families coping with a loss like this.

“We’ve become so desensitized to it that you know, people are thinking, ‘it’ll never happen to me.’ We never thought that either and especially the person it was,” Hickmon said.

Beaver was one of four siblings and aside from her contagious laugh and smile, Hickmon said she’s going to miss their daily phone calls.

“Before we ever hung up, she always told me she loved me. That’s basically it, just to hear her say that one more time,” she said.

If you’d like to help her family with funeral expenses, you can donate here.

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