Gunman Threatens Reporter Outside Portland ICE Facility Amid Escalating Violence
Gunman Threatens Reporter Outside Portland ICE Facility Amid Escalating Violence – Independent journalist Nick Shirley recounts harrowing encounters as police response remains absent
PORTLAND, Ore. — Independent journalist Nick Shirley says the situation outside a Portland Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility has spiraled into “lawlessness,” after he and other reporters were confronted and threatened by armed agitators. Shirley, who has been covering nightly protests there for months, told viewers in a live segment that he was held at gunpoint and warned, “If you come back, I’m going to smoke you.” This incident exemplifies the chaos unfolding as the Gunman Threatens Reporter Outside Portland ICE Facility Amid Escalating Violence.
According to Shirley, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) snipers quickly trained their lasers on the suspect, forcing him to retreat. But the threat was just one of many he faced that evening. “Another person pulled out their gun and threatened me, saying, ‘You want to be Kirk Jr.?’ These people are very dangerous and unhinged,” Shirley said.
Reporters Say Violence Is Routine
Shirley’s account mirrors that of another reporter who claimed she was assaulted outside the same facility. She said she chased her attacker and alerted a nearby Portland Police officer but no arrest was made. “Imagine my anger when I go online about an hour later and see Portland Police put out a BOLO asking for the public’s help in identifying my assault suspect,” she said.
Shirley said these incidents are not isolated. “They’ve been out there for over 100 days, yelling, screaming, terrorizing. The police are nowhere to be seen, and ICE officers are on their own out there.”
Dueling Narratives Between State and Federal Leaders
The growing violence comes amid a political war of words. Former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that Oregon’s leadership is “living in a dream world” and accused Governor Tina Kotex of running Portland “like a third-world country.” The governor, meanwhile, dismissed the allegations: “There is no insurrection. There is no threat to national security. Military service members should be dedicated to real emergencies. They are not needed here.”
Shirley sided with Trump’s view, calling Kotex’s statements “a complete lie.” He added that local residents living in adjacent apartments have “been pleading for help” while law enforcement stays away.
Questions Over Funding and Organization
Shirley also raised questions about how protesters are sustaining themselves after months of demonstrations. He described makeshift food stations and an apartment next to the facility hosting “weird parties” with “adult activities.” Citizen journalists, he said, have already compiled information that could be used for a deeper investigation into who is organizing and financing the protests.
Calls for Action
Shirley warned that unless Portland Police and state officials intervene, violence outside the ICE facility will continue unchecked. “There needs to be some sort of police presence there, but they will not even send the police,” he said.
