In the quiet evening of November 28, 2021, a tragedy unfolded in a Gresham, Oregon park that cut short the life of a young man. Jose Juan Santos-Elias, a 24-year-old Black / African American male from Portland, was found suffering from a gunshot wound at Pat Pfeifer Park on Northeast 172nd Avenue. Police received a call for a death investigation at approximately 8:43 p.m. and, along with medical personnel, arrived to find the critically injured man.
Despite their efforts, Santos-Elias succumbed to his injuries.
The Multnomah County Medical Examiner's Office later conducted an autopsy and officially ruled the death a homicide, confirming that a gunshot wound was the cause. Investigators with the East County Major Crimes Team were brought in to handle the complex case. They believe the shooting may have occurred up to an hour before police were dispatched to the scene. The park, a place typically associated with community and recreation, became the backdrop for a grim and unsolved act of violence.
In the days following the shooting, the Gresham Police Department reached out to the public for assistance, appealing for any witnesses who might have seen or heard something to come forward. They provided a tip line for people to call with any information that could shed light on the circumstances surrounding the shooting. However, despite the ongoing investigation and public pleas for help, no suspects have been publicly identified, and no arrests have been announced in connection with the murder of Jose Juan Santos-Elias. The case remains an open and active homicide investigation, leaving a family and a community awaiting answers and seeking justice.
