In the Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood of East Portland, a tragedy unfolded on the night of March 18, 2025, forever altering the lives of a Gresham family. Junior Garza, a 17-year-old male, was in the vicinity of the 3000 block of Southeast 136th Avenue when gunfire shattered the evening calm at approximately 10:15 p.m. According to his mother, Junior had been visiting with friends and was on his way to his brother's house when the fatal incident occurred.
Officers from the East Precinct were dispatched to the scene following reports of a shooting.
Upon their arrival, police discovered the young man with life-threatening injuries. Despite their immediate efforts to administer life-saving aid, Junior Garza succumbed to his wounds at the scene. The Medical Examiner would later confirm that the cause of death was a gunshot wound and officially ruled it a homicide. In the wake of the shooting, Portland Police Bureau Homicide detectives began an investigation, closing off a section of Southeast 136th Avenue between Southeast Division Street and Southeast Powell Boulevard to process the scene and gather evidence.
Weeks after the shooting, no arrests have been made, and no suspects have been publicly identified, leaving a family grappling with unanswered questions and grief. Junior's mother, Sylvia Garza, has made public pleas for anyone with information to come forward, expressing the immense pain of losing her youngest son, whom she described as having "the biggest heart ever." The family's distress has been compounded by the financial burden of his burial, leading them to organize a fundraiser for a headstone. Portland Police continue to investigate the case and have asked the public for any information that might lead to an arrest, encouraging witnesses to contact the detectives assigned to the case.
