On the evening of May 12, 2021, Danae Kaylee Williams, a 25-year-old White female, was driving in Portland, Oregon, with a passenger. They had just left a restaurant and were stopped at a red light at the intersection of Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Northeast Dekum Street at approximately 8:55 p.m. As the light turned green, a silver sedan pulled up alongside her vehicle, and an occupant opened fire, striking both Williams and her passenger.
Williams succumbed to her injuries the next day, while the male passenger survived after being shot in the head.
Investigators with the Portland Police Bureau and the FBI believe that Williams and her passenger were not the intended targets of the shooting. They have stated that the two were likely innocent victims caught in an ongoing dispute between rival gangs. Williams had no connection to gang activity. At the time of her death, she was working with people with disabilities and was studying to become an emergency medical technician.
As of May 2024, no arrests have been made in connection with the murder of Danae Williams. The case remains an active investigation, with detectives believing there were several witnesses who left the scene before speaking with law enforcement. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $15,000 for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for her death. Both law enforcement and Williams' family have made public pleas for anyone with information to come forward to help bring closure to the case.
