Justice · North Portland shootingPortland shotgun shooting: Man booked on attempted murder and bias-crime allegationsWritten November 1, 2026 at 2:35 AM UTCWatchTranscript0:07A passing driver escaped injury after at least two shotgun blasts.0:10Portland police say a man fired at the driver, and his own statements pointed to a0:14racial motive.0:15They've arrested Mark W.0:17Schaffer and booked him on attempted murder and bias crime allegations.0:20What charges prosecutors will pursue, and what evidence they'll bring to court, is0:25still unclear.0:25Officers responded to someone seen carrying a gun on North Commercial Avenue on0:29Saturday, October30,1 .0:31Police put their response at eleven,3 ampers.0:34M.0:35in the six thousand seven hundred block in Piedmont near North Rosa Parks Way.0:38While North Precinct officers were on their way, dispatchers relayed more calls.0:42People were now reporting that the suspect was firing shots.0:45Officers moved toward him and ordered him to drop the shotgun.0:48Police say the man dropped the shotgun when officers ordered him to.0:52They took him into custody within seven minutes of the first unit being dispatched.0:56Officers then recovered the shotgun and kept it as evidence.0:59That seven-minute interval runs from dispatch to custody.1:02The enhanced community safety team, which investigates shootings, then examined what1:05happened before officers arrived.1:07Investigators say Shaffer fired at least two shotgun shots at a passing driver.1:12That gives a minimum shot count.1:13Police say nobody was injured, including the person driving past.1:17The attempted murder and attempted assault allegations concern what police say1:20Schaffer tried to do.1:21Police say their shooting teams treat gunfire aimed at community members as1:25attempted murder cases.1:26Prosecutors decide what charges to pursue in court.1:29Investigators say Schaffer's own statements provided evidence that his actions were1:33influenced by his perception of the driver's race.1:36That's the basis police gave for the racial bias allegation.1:39They haven't disclosed his exact words.1:41The allegation centers on the race Schaefer perceived.1:43Oregon's bias crime framework covers crimes targeting someone because of a perceived1:47protective characteristic, including race.1:49Investigators still have to substantiate the alleged motive as the case moves1:53through the courts.1:53Schaffer, a fifty, two-year-old Portland resident, was booked into the Multnomah1:59County Detention Center.2:00Police listed four booking charges covering the alleged attempted killing, attempted2:04assault, racial bias, and property damage.2:06The booking charges are second degree attempted murder and first degree attempted2:10assault, along with first degree bias crime and second degree criminal mischief.2:14Shafer is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.2:18We don't yet know which charges prosecutors will pursue or what evidence they'll2:21present to support the alleged attempted killing and racial motive.2:24Investigators were still seeking information from people who hadn't already spoken2:28with police.Read the articleStory timelineHeyDex
