On a Saturday afternoon, the Eliot neighborhood of northeast Portland was disrupted by violence when police responded to reports of a shooting on February 11, 2023. Officers arrived at the scene near the intersection of Northeast First Avenue and Northeast Hancock Street around 2 p.m. to a grim discovery. There, they found the body of a man who had been fatally shot.
A little over two weeks later, the victim was identified as 41-year-old Torn Saephan, a male resident of Portland.
The medical examiner later confirmed that Saephan's death was a homicide caused by a gunshot wound. The shooting marked the city's seventh homicide of the year.
When police first arrived at the location, the suspect or suspects had already fled the area. Homicide detectives were called to the scene to begin their investigation, and the surrounding streets were closed for several hours as they processed the area for evidence. Despite their efforts, no arrests have been made in connection with the case, and police have not released any description of potential suspects.
The investigation into Torn Saephan's death remains ongoing. Authorities have not publicly released a photo of Saephan. Detectives are asking for the public's help and have urged anyone with information about the shooting to come forward and contact them, referencing case number 23-38976.
