Managers in Portland, Oregon raised concerns on Tuesday about the city’s ongoing crime crisis, particularly as President Trump faces challenges in deploying federal troops there to help address the situation.
“We need help here,” stated Amy Nichols, a victim of ten break-ins by a local company. After enduring years of difficulty, Nichols hopes that the president’s push to bring the National Guard to Portland could improve local conditions and draw attention to the problems residents are encountering.
“If something needs to be done, and this is a way to get our leaders to notice what’s happening in Portland, then I think it’s a good thing,” she said during an interview.
In a similar vein, Loretta Guzman, who owns Bison Coffee House in the city, expressed her own experiences with crime. She previously shared plans to install bulletproof glass after her coffee shop windows were shattered by vandals. The violence hit close to home when she woke to the sound of a gunshot while lying in bed.
Guzman recounted a particularly traumatic incident involving her nephew, who was shot. Initially, she couldn’t believe the news, as she was in her home when her nephew’s girlfriend knocked on the door with the dreadful message. She remembers calling 911 only to encounter a recorded message while time was of the essence.
“I tried to get my car to save him, but when I arrived, no one helped me lift him up,” she recalled, devastated. Her nephew, weighing around 240 pounds, was too heavy for her to carry. “He died praying for him,” she said, expressing her anguish.
While Guzman questions the impact that federal troops might have on local businesses, she acknowledges that they could enhance security around government buildings. However, she feels abandoned by local leaders regarding public safety and noted that the person responsible for her nephew’s death has not yet been apprehended.
