Portland, the largest and most violent city in Oregon has recently broke its own homicide record. If for anything, the city of Portland is known for its violent crime, and vicious protests against policing and borders.
Fox News reported, The number of homicides in Portland has now surpassed its previous annual record of 66, set in 1987 – and there are still more than two months to go in the calendar year.
As of Tuesday, Oregon’s largest city has recorded 67 killings so far this year, three-quarters of which have been carried out by firearms, according to the Associated Press. The total number of shootings – around 1,000 – has also left an additional 314 people injured.
The police believe that many of the shootings are linked to gangs, however they admit that the skyrocket in violence is also affecting innocent bystanders.
A 9 year old named Hadar Kadem was in Northeast Park with her father and brother when a group of individuals wearing ski masks over their faces began shooting. One bullet landed only inches from the young girl. Kadem told city leaders about her dangerous experience.
“We are running on fumes. There’s no way we can investigate thoroughly, and correctly, all these shootings,” said the executive director of Portland’s police union.
Some Americans immediately jump to gun control when they hear about increases in firearm related homicide. The only problem is that most firearms used in violent crimes, are already illegally owned weapons, and most are handguns and not rifles like AR-15’s that are traditionally policed under gun control legislation.
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigations Universal Crime Reporting database, blunt objects were used as weapons more than twice as often as rifles were in homicides from 2015-19. Cutting objects such as knives were used in homicides 7.1 times more than rifles, and finally, handguns were used 28.8 times more often than rifles including AR-15’s and other “military grade assault weapons”.
Yet, no sane person is calling for blunt objects, knives and cutting instruments or handguns to be banned. Handguns, prevent more death than they cause, especially when the scope is narrowed down to only legal handguns.
Unfortunately, a city like Portland is likely to deal with its issue of violence by further restricting firearm usage, and refusing to finance police budgets.