Man pleads for end to violence after he says cousin was killed in SE Portland shooting

PORTLAND, Ore. (KPTV) - One man is dead after a shooting in southeast Portland Wednesday night. A relative of the man is now pleading with the community to come together to end gun violence.

Just before 9:15 p.m., officers responded to a shooting in the 13400 block of Southeast Bush Street. One person was found dead at the scene.

Shawnte Harris told FOX 12 his cousin, 40-year-old Dejohntae Campbell, was killed in the shooting. He believes the shooting was not random and that hours before it happened Campbell had told his mom that someone was after him.

“We talked every single day, we talked...now I just won’t get to see him anymore. It is tough,” Harris said. “I didn’t believe it at first, so me and my dad came up here and we saw all the police. All they could tell us was that shots were fired and one person was deceased on the ground.”

Police said the suspect or suspects fled before officers were on scene and no arrests have been made.

Harris says he is still waiting for an autopsy report from the coroner’s office to confirm what he already knows, that his cousin is dead.

“He was a father, he was a great person, he always helped people,” said Harris.

A man who lives on Southeast Bush Street says gunfire is a familiar sound in the neighborhood. Larry R., a born and raised Oregonian, says the southeast side of Portland has changed drastically over the past several years.

“It ain’t nothing like it used to be,” he said. “It used to be real peaceful.”

Harris is hopeful peace can be restored in Portland. Through tears, he asks Portlanders to put an end to gun violence.

“This place is a warzone. If we don’t come together as a community, this whole town is going to go down in flames,” said Harris.

Anyone with information about Wednesday night’s shooting, please contact the Portland Police Bureau.

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