Portland Man Shot by Border Patrol Pleads Not Guilty as Questions Mount Over Stop

PORTLAND — Luis David Nino-Moncada, who was shot and wounded by a Border Patrol agent during an immigration stop in Portland last week, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to federal charges including aggravated assault on a federal officer and damaging federal property.

Shooting and Charges

Nino-Moncada, who sustained a gunshot wound to his arm and was taken into custody after the incident, was indicted Tuesday and entered his plea the following day. Authorities allege he entered the United States illegally and used his vehicle as a weapon when agents attempted to detain him.

Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras, a Venezuelan woman who prosecutors say was a passenger in Nino-Moncada’s pickup and who was also struck by gunfire, was released from the hospital and later taken to an ICE detention facility.

What Officials Say — And What’s Missing

Federal investigators report there is no surveillance or other video of the Portland encounter. According to accounts from Border Patrol agents, one agent opened fire after Nino-Moncada put the truck in reverse and repeatedly struck an unoccupied vehicle rented by the agents, damaging its headlights and dislodging the front bumper. Photographs provided by the Justice Department show a battered black car with no obvious official markings. An affidavit says an officer fired two shots as the truck attempted to flee.

DHS Allegations and Local Police Remarks

The Department of Homeland Security has alleged that both Nino-Moncada and Zambrano-Contreras had ties to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. Portland Police Chief Bob Day said city investigators found the pair had "some nexus" to the gang and that their names surfaced in a probe of a July shooting thought to involve gang members, though they were not identified as suspects in that earlier case.

Public Reaction and Broader Context

The Portland shooting occurred the day after a federal officer shot and killed Renee Goodin in Minnesota, an episode captured on bystander video that intensified public scrutiny and fueled protests. In the days since both incidents, large demonstrations have erupted nationwide criticizing federal immigration enforcement tactics and the presence of federal officers in local communities, particularly in Minneapolis.

Claims of Rising Threats and Scrutiny of Evidence

The Trump administration has defended the deployment of federal officers and argued agents are protected by federal immunity. In a press release about the Portland shooting, DHS claimed large percentage increases in assaults, vehicular attacks and death threats against agents but did not provide supporting evidence for those figures.

“[The] Department of Justice has made clear that if officials cross that line into obstruction, into criminal conspiracy against the United States, or against ICE officers they will face justice,” said Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff, on Fox News.

Investigations by news organizations that reviewed thousands of pages of court records found that many alleged attacks reported by officials left agents uninjured and that some past statements by immigration officers about protesters and arrests were inaccurate or misleading.

Next Steps

Nino-Moncada remains charged in federal court. The case is expected to move through the federal system; prosecutors will present the indictment and evidence, while defense attorneys can contest the allegations. Local and national officials continue to call for transparency and more information about the circumstances that led to the shooting.

Reporting contributed by the Associated Press.