Dan Rayfield
Role at the time: Oregon Attorney General
Statement summary
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield said he was deeply troubled by reports that two people were shot and injured in Portland during an incident involving federal agents. He said his office had been clear about its concerns over excessive use of force by federal agents in Portland, that the incident heightened the need for transparency and accountability, and that his office would take appropriate action as more facts came to light.
“We are deeply troubled by reports that two people were shot and injured in Portland today during an incident involving federal agents. We have been clear about our concerns with the excessive use of force by federal agents in Portland, and today’s incident only heightens the need for transparency and accountability. Oregonians deserve clear answers when people are injured in their neighborhoods. Our office is closely monitoring this situation and will take appropriate action to protect the rights and safety of Oregonians as more facts come to light.”
News release from the Oregon Department of Justice, issued by Attorney General Dan Rayfield on January 8, 2026.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Why we used this label
The case asks whether the Border Patrol agent was justified in shooting the two people. Rayfield said he was deeply troubled by reports of the shooting, pointed to his office's earlier concerns about excessive use of force by federal agents in Portland, and said the incident heightened the need for transparency and accountability. He did not say what the facts would show about this shooting, but he tied it to those concerns and did not defend the agents' conduct, so we used the label Condemned.