In the early morning hours of November 17, 2002, a tragic and violent event unfolded in Portland, Oregon, leading to the death of 25-year-old Hispanic male, Domingo Lee Gonzales. The incident, which has since become a cold case, began at approximately 4:31 a.m. with reports of a shooting in the vicinity of 7144 NE 22nd Avenue. This area was known to house an after-hours club, and it was outside this establishment that the fatal events transpired.
Responding officers, en route to the
scene, observed a vehicle speeding away from the area. They pursued the car until it came to a stop at Emanuel Hospital. The driver frantically exclaimed that a passenger had been shot. Inside the vehicle was Domingo Lee Gonzales, who was rushed into the emergency room by officers and hospital staff. Despite their efforts, he was pronounced dead from apparent gunshot wounds.
Witnesses at the scene of the shooting reported hearing multiple gunshots, followed by another round of shots and the sound of screeching tires as a car sped away. The details regarding a suspect or suspects remain limited. An African-American male was reportedly seen leaving the area and getting into a dark-colored Buick Regal from the 1980s; authorities believe he may have been a witness. Another witness reported seeing an African-American male wearing a light plaid, button-up shirt exit the passenger side of a light-colored Buick Skylark moments before the gunfire erupted. That vehicle was also seen leaving the scene immediately after the shooting.
The investigation into Gonzales' death suggests a possible connection to gang activity. It is believed that he was a member of the Crips, and his murder may have stemmed from a dispute with a rival faction over a dog fight. Tragically, the violence did not end with his death. Three days later, a retaliatory shooting took place that resulted in the death of a 23-year-old woman, Asia Bell, and the blinding of her husband. Suspects arrested in that case were identified as members or associates of the same gang as Gonzales, and two were his brothers. While arrests were made for the subsequent murder, the homicide of Domingo Lee Gonzales remains unsolved, with no specific suspects publicly identified or arrested for his killing.
