Community members shocked by news of more human remains found in Portland

PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - Hidden in the trees off I-405, near West Burnside Street and NW 14th Avenue, sits what is left of a homeless camp — now a crime scene.

“I’ve never heard of anything like this happening before,” said Cormac Gleeson, who lives nearby.

According to Portland Police, a crew with Rapid Response Bio-Clean, a company contracted to clean up homeless encampments, found human remains there Monday. Workers were on-site again Tuesday afternoon, wearing protective gear while they hauled trash out.

“It’s definitely shocking and a little scary,” Gleeson said. “I do think that a lot of stuff like this can happen in the area, and you don’t really know about it. So, I guess it doesn’t surprise me in that way.”

PPB said this is the second time in one week crews have found human remains during a routine clean-up at a homeless camp. The other discovery happened last Tuesday near SE Harvey Milk Street and Southwest Naito Parkway.

Investigators believe the incidents could be connected and are waiting for the medical examiner’s office to determine if the human remains are from the same person

The news took some people who are unhoused and spend a lot of area by surprise.

“That’s crazy. I can’t believe that,” one man said. “I’ve been here a little while, but everyone I’ve met has always been really nice and cool. So, I can’t believe it. It’s incredible. Not something I would expect here in Portland.”

There is no information about why there were human remains in the encampments. A PPB spokesperson said it could be a number of different scenarios. That includes someone dying of natural causes or an overdose.