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Sergeant Kevin Allen speaks during a press conference following a shooting at a hospital in downtown Portland, Oregon, Saturday, July 22, 2023.
CNN
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Oregon police are looking for a suspect after a shooting at a downtown Portland hospital left at least one person injured, authorities said.
Portland Police said officers responded with an emergency response team at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center in the city’s northwest after reports of a person with a gun inside the facility, Sgt. Kevin Allen said at a news conference. The establishment has been placed in lockdown.
When officers responded, they were told someone had opened fire inside the hospital. At least one person was injured, Allen said.
“We were told that shots were fired at the hospital,” Allen said. A witness told officers the suspected shooter had already left hospital by the time police arrived.
A nearby Fred Meyer grocery store was evacuated and searched by police, but Allen said authorities have not located the suspect.
“This is still considered an active tactical incident. There are efforts underneath to locate the suspect,” Allen said, adding that authorities “no longer believe there is a potential danger to the hospital.”
Allen said officers from across the city are assisting in the search for the suspected shooter. The hospital will remain closed while officers investigate, he said.
Jonathan Avery, the hospital’s director of operations, called the shooting an “extremely frightening situation”.
“We really want to make sure people don’t come to the Good Samaritan today until everything is cleaned up and we’re back and open,” Avery said.
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler also advised residents to ‘stay alert’ Twitter.
“It is still an active investigation,” wrote the mayor. “We urge people in the area to remain vigilant until further notice.”