Gun violence survivor says Portland mayor’s safety proposal ‘should have happened a long time ago’
By Bridget Chavez
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PORTLAND, Oregon (KPTV) — There have been more than 1,000 shootings in Portland so far this year. Among those affected is Tracy Carman. She was shot in the leg in downtown Portland in July.
Now, Mayor Ted Wheeler is proposing more funding for police including hiring hundreds officers over the next few years as Portlanders and business owners have been demanding change.
“Prayers and wishes only get you so far and actually having something coalesce and something in print or you know released to the media and having this big discussion, I mean is what should have happened a long time ago,” Carman said.
When she was shot, Carman remembers a group of men trying to grab her when her friend stepped in to defend her. She said one of the men punched her friend in the face. After that, another person, trying to help, stepped in and fired warning shots into the air to try to get the group to leave, but one of them fired back and hit Carman in the leg.
The bullet completely shattered her lower left leg. Now, months later she still can’t walk and is in physical therapy on the road to recovery. Carman believes she’s a direct casualty of the movement to defund the police.
“If there were more officers in the area that night then maybe they could have caught these people,” she said. “Obviously I was on the ground hit so I didn’t see where they went afterwards, I wasn’t concentrating on them I was making sure my friend was okay and then I was like oh well I’m hit.”
The group of men and the person who shot her still hasn’t been caught.
“My lead detective on my case was actually, she headed up that unit that got chopped in July so it was devastating to her because now she’s trying to work with you know both her arms tied behind her back,” she said.
Carman is referring to the Gun Violence Reduction Team that was disbanded back in 2020. She said hopefully the mayor’s new proposal will help crimes like hers get solved faster and put those responsible for gun violence behind bars sooner.
“My detective has been so brilliant and amazing and concerned and always available so they are doing a lot with the amount of resources that they have, you know they need quite a bit more,” she said.
Mayor Wheeler’s proposal includes plans to hire 300 officers over the next three years, 200 of which will be armed and 100 unarmed community safety specialists. It also includes $2.5 million in funding to go toward police body camera, offering longevity bonuses for current officers and offering bonuses of up to $25,000 for the first 50 new recruits.
“You can’t be an ostrich and stick your head in the sand and I think the people have spoken and it’s time to actually get something tangible on the ground so actually applaud that very much,” Carman said.
The Portland Police Association’s new president, Sergeant Aaron Schmautz released a statement in response to the mayor’s proposal saying, “I’m encouraged to see the conversation shift towards public safety and a renewed commitment to invest in staffing the Portland Police Bureau. It’s a good start and a step in the right direction in remedying the critical staffing shortage. As I settle into my new role as Portland Police Association president, the PPA will continue to advocate for commonsense public safety policies that keep our communities and our officers safe. We will continue to focus on solutions and work with community partners, leaders, and our rank-and-file members to protect Portland.”
Carman’s case is still being investigated and if you have any information, you’re asked to call Crime Stoppers of Oregon, that is offering up to $2,500 cash for information leading to an arrest.
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