In a tragic incident on the evening of August 10, 2025, a young Hispanic woman, Kimberly Venegas-Gonzalez, 21, of Portland, Oregon, lost her life. The cause of her death was determined by the medical examiner to be a gunshot wound.
The events unfolded at a residence in the 2000 block of Southeast 170th Avenue. At approximately 6:30 p.m., a male, later identified as 20-year-old Leonel Macias of Portland, called 911 to report that a female was deceased inside the home.
When officers from the Portland Police Bureau's East Precinct arrived, they found Macias armed and barricaded inside the residence. This initiated a tactical incident, and the Special Emergency Reaction Team and Crisis Negotiation Team were dispatched to the scene.
For the next two hours, law enforcement attempted to make contact with Macias, who refused to comply with police commands. Shortly before 9:00 p.m., he exited the residence and was taken into custody. A firearm was recovered at the scene. Macias was transported to a local hospital for medical care before being booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center.
Initially, Leonel Macias was arrested on charges of Murder in the Second Degree and Unlawful Use of a Weapon. However, prosecutors later charged him with first-degree manslaughter. According to a probable cause affidavit, Macias's mother informed police that she had been with her son and Venegas-Gonzalez earlier in the evening. She stated that about 10 minutes after she left to get ice cream, she received a call from Macias claiming that Venegas-Gonzalez had accidentally shot herself while playing with his handgun, and that he was unaware a bullet was in the chamber. He then reportedly showed himself on a FaceTime call holding a gun to his chin. When his mother returned, she saw Venegas-Gonzalez on the couch and her son holding a gun. He told his mother to leave as he heard police sirens approaching. Macias's mother also contacted 911. The Homicide Unit of the Portland Police Bureau is continuing to investigate the death.
