Portland Police and Fire officials are turning to the community for help in tracking down a suspect linked to several arson incidents in Northeast Portland. According to a statement from the Portland Police Bureau (PPB), a series of fires on July 20 and July 27 near Irving Park have sparked an urgent search for clues. As part of the investigation, detectives are calling for residents with private security and doorbell cameras to upload footage that could lead to identifying the arsonist.
Property damage was reported, including a utility trailer on Northeast 8th Avenue and a garage door on Northeast 7th Avenue – no injuries were reported. The fires struck various structures and vehicles, occurring on the 700 block of Northeast Fremont Street, and as far out as the 3900 block of Northeast Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard. Concerned for public safety, detectives are looking into the area bounded by North Williams Avenue to Northeast 15th Avenue and from Northeast Stanton Street to Northeast Shaver Street, stated by the PPB.
Residents have been instructed to submit video recordings from July 20 between 3:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., and from July 27 between 9:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. The PPB stressed that no video review or editing is necessary on the part of residents – detectives will handle the examination of all footage. Furthermore, specifics on how to upload this footage have been provided, including a direct link to the Detective Division and QR codes for easy access.
Videos should be provided in their original form, as emphasized by the authorities. They've clearly stated to avoid any alterations: "Please do not edit, enhance, combine into “multiview,” or otherwise alter the footage. Please ensure the footage is in a standard file format and does not require a proprietary player," as per the police statement. Additionally, those submitting videos should not expect to follow up with the PPB; instead, a detective might reach out if more information is needed regarding the submitted footage.
While the PPB hasn't released further details, they encourage anyone with information about these arsons to contact Detective Meredith Hopper directly through email.
