Group damages, vandalizes several north Portland businesses, sets North Precinct dumpster ablaze

(Update: KGW reports apparent reason for gathering)

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A group of people vandalized and caused heavy damage in north Portland Saturday night, including broken windows, graffiti and an arson fire lit in a dumpster at the Portland Police Bureau’s North Precinct, officers said.

The group gathered around 8 p.m. Saturday at Peninsula Park and began to march about an hour later.

KGW reports a flyer posted to social media said the gathering was a planned march to demand justice for Patrick Lyoya, a 26-year-old Black man shot and killed by a police officer April 4 during a scuffle in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Some suspects vandalized a coffee shop on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, including breaking windows and launching explosive devices at the building, officers said.

One bank was defaced with graffiti and another nearby had its windows broken, while three bus shelters were damaged, police said.

The group then made its way to the North Precinct, where one or more suspects ignited an arson fire in a D\dumpster. Responding officers used extinguishers to try to put out the blaze, but were unsuccessful, so Portland Fire and Rescue responded to fully extinguish it.

Numerous street signs were also scrawled with graffiti, officers said.

No arrests were immediately made, police said, but the investigation is continuing and information was sought from the public, including photos, video or suspect information.