PORTLAND, Ore. - Portland police searched Friday for a shooting suspect who opened fire as a funeral was taking place at a north Portland church.
The service was being held Friday afternoon inside the New Hope Missionary Church on North Gantenbein Avenue.
Witnesses said gunfire erupted following a fist fight at the back of the church.
The shooting left Darshawn Lavone Cross, 31, wounded with what police described as "life-threatening injuries." He was shot several times in the stomach area.
Sgt. Brian Schmautz with the Portland Police Bureau said Friday the victim has a criminal history of gang-related activity. Family members at the funeral said he is the nephew of the woman who was being remembered at the service - 51-year-old Sharon Lynn Kemp.
Early reports indicated the suspect fled the scene in a white Chevrolet Impala with no license plates on it but police could not confirm that information. Police were interviewing witnesses Friday evening and no suspect information was immediately released.
The Associated Press provided this report on the incident:
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Gunfire erupted during a funeral service at a church on the north side of Portland on Friday, gravely wounding a 31-year-old man with a history of gang activity and sending mourners fleeing.
Sgt. Brian Schmautz of the Portland police said the wounded man, Darshawn Lavone Cross, had a criminal history of gang-related activity.
Although the neighborhood has been gentrifying in recent years, it has in the past been the scene of gang activity.
Schmautz said the shooter was still on the loose.
The shooting happened about 12:15 p.m. at the New Hope Missionary Baptist Church.
The funeral was for an elderly woman, Schmautz said. He said he did not know of any connections or relationship among her, the victim and the shooter.
He said some mourners left the church afterward to follow the funeral procession to a cemetery, and police were trying to interview them.
The Rev. Robert C. Jointer has been the pastor at New Hope for about 16 years, his children said.
Jointer's 26-year-old son, Charles Jointer, said he was in his father's study in the church when shots were fired.
He says he had stopped by the church and was planning to leave with his 2-year-old son when he heard commotion.
"All I really saw was a lot of people panicking, running, and that gave me the instinct that there was a gun somewhere," he said. "Everything was so fast."
He said he swept his son into his arms, ran back to his father's office and locked the doors.
Police responded to an emergency call within about five minutes, he said.
Jointer said he was told later that there was a fight between the victim and the shooter before the funeral. He said, however, that he did not see the shooting or the victim.
He said about 50 people were at the funeral service, and no one else was injured.
Both Jointer and his 36-year-old sister, Lakeesha, who are members of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, said the church has many faithful members.
"I'm sure they'll be shocked," Lakeesha Jointer said. "Nothing like this has ever happened before."
Helen Flynn of Beaverton has been a member for 17 years and attends weekly with her 9-year-old grandson. About 150 people attend Sunday service, she said, and many have been members for decades.
She was shocked to learn of the shooting, especially because the area appeared to be improving.
"The first thing we're going to do is pray," Flynn, 64, said.
Then she shook her head:
"That's too bad ... I used to say we don't have any of that, but I guess we do now."
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