PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — A group of parents are horrified and asking for change after someone fired more than 80 rounds in the park next to their toddlers' preschool during pickup time on Friday.
These parents are now demanding action by city leaders, in fear that their school won't be able to remain open if violence at the North Portland park continues.
On Friday, officers were called to Dawson Park around 4 p.m. on the report of shots fired.
Investigators reported someone drove up to the park and at least one person fired toward the park from the car. Police said they found more than 80 bullet casings at the scene, and at least two people were hospitalized with gunshot wounds.
No arrest has been made.
Dawson Park is directly across the street fromArc En Ciel Montessori School, which provides programs and care for children whose ages range from infancy through kindergarten.
MORE:Two wounded in Dawson Park shooting in North Portland
In a letter, eight parents of students at Arc En Ciel Montessori School said they "demand additional public safety presence" at Dawson Park and "traffic calming measures." Read the full letter below:
A school administrator said that violence and crime at the park are consistently a factor in their safety planning. They said the school avoids using classrooms that have windows facing the park during the day.
Parents of children who attend the school, including the owner, said they are willing to move locations if safety doesn't improve.
Valerie Burns, one of the parents who co-wrote the letter, said she rushed away with her child during Friday's shooting.
"We tried to put our kid in the car as quickly as possible and speed away," she said. "The gunshots had not stopped."
Since January 2022, police have responded to 13 shootings within one block of Dawson Park, according to Portland Police Bureau crime statistics. Three of those ended with injuries and one was fatal.
In a news conference Monday, Mayor Ted Wheeler called the shooting "senseless" and said police and community organizations have made progress on reducing gun violence. That must continue, he said.
"While it may ring hollow right now, it’s important to note that the city’s gun violence is showing significant improvement year over year," Wheeler said, alluding to Friday's shooting. "The funding we’ve allocated to reducing gun violence -- it’s paying off."
Portland Police Chief Bob Day said the bureau plans to launch a bike squad for the Eliot neighborhood to patrol Dawson Park and surrounding areas, similar to the current team established in Old Town.
ncG1vNJzZmihlJa1sLrEsKpnm5%2BifK%2Bx1qxmp5mknryvedaoqaWcX6m1pnnSnJiroZWowW7Ax6KloGWglr%2BmutOsZJ2dnZa7pXnAnKuip55ir7p5wqKrsmWRm8Gmvoysn6inpJ67qHnArWSnZaCkv7W4wKebZqiRp7g%3D