Portland Police Bureau Chief Bob Day broke down in tears after confirming that an individual who was shot by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents was linked to the ultra-violent Tren de Aragua street gang.
The incident in question occurred this past Thursday, when federal officials confirmed that agents were involved in a shooting following an attempted traffic stop.“At 2:19 PST, US Border Patrol agents were conducting a targeted vehicle stop in Portland, Oregon. The passenger of the vehicle and target is a Venezuelan illegal alien affiliated with the transnational Tren de Aragua prostitution ring,” DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin announced in a social media post.
“When agents identified themselves to the vehicle occupants, the driver weaponized his vehicle and attempted to run over the law enforcement agents,” McLaughlin continued. “Fearing for his life and safety, an agent fired defensive shots. The driver drove off with the passenger, fleeing the scene. ”
Despite the facts of the case, Portland city leaders and elected Democrats in Oregon immediately rushed to blame the shooting on the federal government. “We cannot sit by while constitutional protections erode and bloodshed mounts. Portland is not a ‘training ground’ for militarized agents, and the ‘full force’ threatened by the administration has deadly consequences,” Portland Mayor Keith Wilson ranted.
“ICE has done nothing but inject terror, chaos, and cruelty into our communities. Trump’s immigration machine is using violence to control our communities — straight out of the authoritarian playbook,” said U.S. Rep. Maxine Dexter (D-OR).
As Democrats raged, Chief Day conceded during a press conference that the federal government’s account of the shooting was indeed accurate. “They do have some nexus to involvement with TDA. We can confirm that and what I can say is there is an association with the two folks yesterday and TDA,” he said.
“I hesitated to even share this information initially because I’m very aware of the historic injustice of victim blaming, oftentimes portrayed by law enforcement, including this very agency that I’ve represented so proudly for so many years. And historically, we have not been quick to disclose the potential criminal history of others.”
The conference then took a bizarre turn when the chief took a moment to address the city’s Latino community. “It saddens me that we even have to qualify these remarks, because I understand, or at least have attempted to understand through your voices, your concern, your fear, your anger,” Day said while tearing up and dabbing his eyes with a tissue.
“This information in no way is meant to disparage or to condone or support or agree with any of the actions that occurred yesterday.”
The chief’s statements have been widely mocked, and also condemned by Latinos who took offense to the press conference. “Showing sympathy for gang members who’ve committed crimes in Oregon then virtue signaling for the Latino community is PEAK absurdity,” said conservative commentator and activist David Medina.
“This isn’t about the Latino community, it’s about law and order and the SAFETY of all Oregonians. Absolutely disgusting behavior from a police chief.”
DHS has since released additional images from the incident, which shows a CBP vehicle with significant bumper damage. Officials have also confirmed that one of the individuals shot was linked to multiple shootings in the Portland area.
Photos released by the DOJ show how severely the Border Patrol rented vehicle was damaged in the truck-ramming attack by the alleged Tren de Aragua associates in Portland. They were non-fatally shot. Democrats and leftists responded with huge condemnation and rage against federal… pic.twitter.com/uzHIuojfx3
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) January 12, 2026
