Portland saw a dramatic drop in shootings, injuries, and deaths from gunfire in the first two months of 2023 compared to that same timeframe last year.
Homicides in January and February are nearly half what they were last year, from 19 in 2022 down to 10 this year.
Total shooting incidents are down almost 35 percent year-to-year.
KATU recently spoke with Portland’s Community Safety Transition Director, Mike Myers, about gun violence and what the city is doing to make the city safer in 2023.
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“I can tell you we are doing everything we possibly can to reduce the homicide rate here in Portland, and so I know hope's not a method. We are really trying to put everything we have as a city toward this, this issue,” said Myers.
Shootings are still up significantly compared to 2019 and early 2020.
However, the start of 2023 shows a change compared to 2022 and in some cases 2021, which both saw dramatic increases in gun violence.
The police bureau said clearance rates are also up in each category aside from non-injury shootings. In most cases, that means police arrest a suspect.