PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The Portland Police Bureau said they've been focused on the Quality Inn hotel in Northeast Portland for quite some time after three separate homicides occurred there in the span of just two months.
The hotel is located near the intersection of Northeast Sandy Boulevard and Northeast 82nd Avenue in the Sumner Neighborhood. There were three separate deadly shootings that occurred there — one in November and two in December.
Police said it's been a challenge trying to clean up the area. They're looking into getting the hotel deemed a chronic nuisance property but they said it's a long process.
“Our concern level was raised in the beginning, when the first homicide happened. The fact that we’ve had these other two, in December, has only increased the urgency in that area,” said Sergeant Kevin Allen, a PPB spokesperson.
The most recent deadly shooting happened on Tuesday night, New Year's Eve, in which one man died at the scene in the parking lot.
On Dec. 4, another man was shot and killed and died at the scene at the hotel in the early morning.
On Nov. 20, another man — later identified as 43-year-old Kimo A. Henriques, of Vancouver — was killed. He was shot in the parking lot of the hotel in the early morning. He was later transported to a hospital but died shortly after.
Police haven't announced any suspects arrested for the two shootings in December. However, one person was detained following the shooting on Nov. 20.
Police said they're aware of potential human trafficking and prostitution in the area, too.
"Getting help from the community, an involved neighborhood, people watching out for the for the community, and sharing information with the Police Bureau, that's a great way that people can get involved," Allen said.
People living around the property said they're noticing the problems and they said it's causing stress in the neighborhood. A neighbor told KOIN 6 News they saw garbage throughout the parking lot of the Quality Inn and fences broken down, raising concerns about what's going on.
One man who lives close to the property said he witnessed one of the shootings.
"I feel very unsafe because some of these people look like they might be breaking into my house one of these days," said the neighbor, who wished to remain anonymous. "We're seeing lots of people seem to be really down and out. Obviously, they have guns on them, because there's been three murders there. And it just seems kind of crazy that all these people are concentrated in one area with no supervision, no oversight."
KOIN 6 News Reporter Ariel Iacobazzi went to the front desk of the Quality Inn to see if she could speak to management about any of these issues but no one was there.
KOIN 6 also reached out to property owners Choice Hotels via email to ask them for a comment about the property. They haven't responded yet but we will let you know when they do.
