On Jan. 8, 2026, two people were shot by U.S. Border Patrol agents in East Portland and were later located at an apartment complex several blocks away; both remain hospitalized and in federal custody. Portland Police Chief Bob Day said investigators have linked the pair to a July 11, 2025, shooting and described an association with the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, but he stopped short of calling them suspects. The Oregon Federal Public Defender’s Office is representing one of the wounded men and has publicly questioned the federal account of events, calling the government’s claims part of a recurring pattern. The FBI is leading a use-of-force investigation while local authorities continue to gather evidence and prepare for anticipated public demonstrations.
Key Takeaways
- Incident date and location: U.S. Border Patrol shot two people on Jan. 8, 2026, near the 10000 block of Southeast Main Street in East Portland; victims were later found at a Northeast 146th Avenue and East Burnside apartment complex.
- Injuries and custody: Luis David Nino-Moncada was shot in the arm and Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras was shot in the chest; both required surgery and are in federal custody and are expected to recover.
- Alleged gang link: Portland police say the pair have “an association” with Tren de Aragua and were connected to a July 11, 2025, shooting investigation; police have not named them as formal suspects in that earlier case.
- Prior records and referrals: Washington County records show a DUI charge against Nino-Moncada in Nov. 2025; the county DA’s office confirmed a 2025 referral involving Zambrano-Contreras for a human trafficking case that was sent to federal authorities.
- Federal account and dispute: DHS said agents tried to stop the vehicle and an agent fired after the driver allegedly tried to use the vehicle as a weapon; the federal public defender called those assertions unwarranted and urged focus on the victims’ recovery.
- Investigation lead and timeline: The FBI is leading the probe with local cooperation; experienced use-of-force investigators say assembling evidence and timelines can take days to weeks.
- Civic response: The shooting intensified protests already sparked by a separate immigration-related killing elsewhere, with hundreds gathering and at least six arrests reported at a separate Portland demonstration.
Background
Federal immigration enforcement in Portland has been a flashpoint for months, with local elected officials and community groups sharply criticizing expanded federal operations in the city. The January shooting occurred in a charged environment after news of another federal-related killing in the region prompted widespread demonstrations and calls from some local leaders to curtail federal immigration activity. That context has intensified scrutiny of any incident involving federal agents and heightened public attention to investigative transparency.
Tren de Aragua, the Venezuelan gang mentioned by Portland police, originated in Venezuelan prisons and has been reported to operate transnationally. Local authorities said names from a July 11, 2025, investigation produced a connection to Nino-Moncada and Zambrano-Contreras, though police emphasized they have not publicly accused the pair of involvement in that earlier shooting. The Washington County District Attorney’s Office told investigators it referred a multi-jurisdictional human trafficking and firearm matter to federal prosecutors and the FBI in summer 2025.
Main Event
According to statements from the Department of Homeland Security, Border Patrol agents attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Luis David Nino-Moncada on Jan. 8, 2026. DHS said that when agents identified themselves, the driver “weaponized his vehicle and attempted to run over the law enforcement agents,” prompting an agent to fire a defensive shot; the vehicle then left the scene with a passenger. Portland police later located the two injured people at an apartment complex several blocks from the shooting site.
Portland Police Chief Bob Day briefed reporters on Jan. 9, 2026, and said the pair surfaced during an investigation of the July 11, 2025, shooting. Chief Day stressed he was not releasing information to pre-judge the FBI-led investigation and acknowledged the historic problem of victim-blaming during investigations. He also said both wounded people are in stable condition and expected to recover after surgeries.
The federal public defender for Oregon confirmed representation of Nino-Moncada and said the office had visited him in the hospital. In a statement, the defender’s office criticized linking the wounded man to a Venezuelan gang without public evidence and framed the accusations as part of a government pattern used to justify aggressive conduct by agents. As of late Friday, neither the U.S. Attorney’s Office nor federal investigators had filed criminal charges related to the Jan. 8 shooting.
Local law enforcement said they are cooperating with the FBI, which is leading the inquiry into whether the use of force was legally justified. Former federal investigators briefed in the interim urged restraint in public conclusions until evidence—including body-worn camera video, forensic vehicle analysis and witness statements—can be analyzed by the investigative team.
Analysis & Implications
The incident sits at the intersection of immigration enforcement, local-police–federal-agency relations and community trust. If the FBI determines the use of force was within policy and law, federal authorities may still face political and public backlash given the broader climate of protests and skepticism toward federal immigration operations. Conversely, if investigators find missteps, the outcome could accelerate calls for limits on federal enforcement activities in Portland and reshape cooperation agreements.
Legally, the case will turn on whether agents reasonably perceived an imminent threat and whether less-lethal options were available. Use-of-force reviews examine the totality of circumstances, including body-camera footage, statements from all involved officers and forensic reconstruction of the vehicle’s movement. Those elements will determine if prosecutions, internal discipline, or policy changes follow.
Politically, the dispute over whether the wounded people had ties to Tren de Aragua highlights how criminal allegations can influence public narratives around law-enforcement incidents. Assertions of gang association—if unproven in court—may erode trust among immigrant communities and complicate local leaders’ efforts to manage public order while protecting civil liberties. The case may therefore shape how officials balance public safety messaging with due-process protections going forward.
Comparison & Data
| Date | Event | Key detail |
|---|---|---|
| July 11, 2025 | Local shooting investigated | Victim identified suspects with alleged ties to Tren de Aragua (police linkage) |
| Summer 2025 | DA referral | Washington County referred a human trafficking and firearms matter to federal prosecutors |
| Nov. 2025 | DUI record | Nino-Moncada listed with a DUI charge in Washington County records |
| Jan. 8, 2026 | Border Patrol shooting | Two people shot on SE Main Street; later found at apartment complex |
This table places the Jan. 8 shooting in a recent local timeline of investigations and referrals. It underscores the multiple, overlapping inquiries—local criminal investigations, county prosecutions and federal enforcement referrals—that complicate the factual record and the public narrative.
Reactions & Quotes
“The shooting of Mr. Moncada by federal officers and the subsequent accusations leveled against the victim of that shooting follow a well-worn playbook that the government has developed to justify the dangerous and unprofessional conduct of its agents.”
Fidel Cassino Du-Cloux, Oregon Federal Public Defender
The public defender’s statement frames the department’s assertions as recurring and cautions against accepting the federal account before the investigation concludes.
“When agents identified themselves to the vehicle occupants, the driver weaponized his vehicle and attempted to run over the law enforcement agents. Fearing for his life and safety, an agent fired a defensive shot.”
Tricia McLaughlin, DHS Assistant Secretary (statement)
DHS offered this account as the basis for the agent’s use of force; investigators will test that sequence against physical and testimonial evidence.
“Let the evidence come forward before making too many pre-judgments.”
Greg Bretzing, former FBI use-of-force lead
Experienced investigators emphasized the time needed to collect forensic evidence, interview witnesses and evaluate video before drawing conclusions about justification or misconduct.
Unconfirmed
- Whether Nino-Moncada or Zambrano-Contreras were active participants in the July 11, 2025, shooting remains unconfirmed by prosecutors or court filings.
- The federal claim that the driver “weaponized” the vehicle and attempted to run over agents is an allegation that investigators must corroborate with video and forensic evidence.
- No federal criminal charges related to the Jan. 8 shooting had been announced as of Friday afternoon; any eventual charging decisions are pending the FBI’s review.
Bottom Line
The Jan. 8, 2026, Border Patrol shooting in East Portland has produced conflicting narratives: a federal account that an agent fired in self-defense after a vehicle was used as a weapon, and a defense counsel argument that officials are prematurely linking the wounded to criminal activity to justify the shooting. With both political temperature and community concern high, the credibility of the investigative process will be central to public acceptance of the outcome.
Practical next steps include forensic analysis, review of any body-camera footage, witness interviews and coordination between the FBI and local agencies. The findings will influence possible charges, departmental discipline, and public policy debates about federal enforcement in Portland; in the near term, officials are preparing for peaceful but robust protest activity while urging restraint until investigators complete their work.
Sources
- Oregon Public Broadcasting (local news report)
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security (official federal department — press statements)
- Washington County District Attorney’s Office (local prosecutorial office — public statements)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (federal investigative lead — agency site)
- Portland Police Bureau (local law enforcement — official statements)