Criticism of Portland’s Leadership After Gang-Related Shooting

Ken Cuccinelli, who formerly served as the acting deputy secretary at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has expressed his concerns regarding the leadership and police priorities in Portland. This comes in light of a recent press conference where the city’s police chief appeared visibly emotional after acknowledging that two suspects shot and killed during a federal immigration raid had suspected connections to the Venezuelan gang, Torren de Aragua (TdA).

During the press event, Portland Police Chief Bob Day confirmed details from a DHS statement linking the pair to TdA. According to DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin, the suspects, identified as Luis David Nino-Moncada and Yorlenis Bezabeth Zambrano-Contreras, “weaponized their vehicles against Border Patrol agents in Portland.”

Day emphasized, “This information is in no way intended to discount, condone, support or agree with the actions that occurred yesterday.” His emotional demeanor drew some derision from Fox News hosts, who had their own take on the situation.

Following the acknowledgment of the suspects’ affiliations, Cuccinelli raised critical points about what he described as “lax” police policies in the city. He asserted that these policies could endanger public safety, suggesting that Portland’s approach to hiring—prioritizing qualities he labeled as “softness”— is detrimental.

Cuccinelli underscored that the threat from the Torren de Aragua gang is escalating more rapidly than that of other gangs, such as MS-13. He remarked, “They escalated their violence much faster than other gangs, like MS-13, for example.” He stated that while the response from CBP seemed appropriate, he was interested in seeing all the evidence related to the incident.

In a discussion on “Fox & Friends Weekend,” Cuccinelli also responded to a question about the broader implications of leadership styles, suggesting that the issue runs deeper than just the police chief. He described it as a statewide concern, not confined to just Portland.

Despite his critiques, Cuccinelli did appreciate that Chief Day, who was initially reluctant to disclose the suspects’ gang affiliations, ultimately corrected himself. “I was grateful to the police chief for correcting the mistake,” Cuccinelli remarked. “He is the only person who was critical on the left and then came back and corrected his mistakes.”