A 29-year-old Portland man is behind bars after detectives say a February road-rage encounter in North Portland escalated to gunfire, authorities said. Officers served a search warrant at a residence, seized two firearms and arrested the suspect, who was booked into the Multnomah County Jail on multiple felony counts. Police say the Feb. 8 shooting near North Denver Avenue and North Schofield Street did not injure anyone.
Arrest and charges
According to KPTV, detectives with the Portland Police Bureau's Enhanced Community Safety Team arrested Joey Allen Radford after executing a warrant in the 2000 block of North Argyle Street. Radford was booked on charges that include first-degree attempted assault, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, felon in possession of a firearm and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and officers say they seized two firearms at the scene. Police also asked anyone with information to email [email protected] and reference case number 26-40633.
Chief Bob Day told KPTV that "This arrest reflects the dedication and coordination of our investigative and tactical teams in holding individuals accountable for violent behavior in our community." He added that "road rage incidents involving firearms are especially dangerous" and said investigators remain focused on the case while the probe continues.
Portland's recent road-rage cases
The arrest lands in the middle of a run of high-profile roadway confrontations in Portland in recent years. One downtown road-rage shooting that began in October 2023 produced a mistrial and kept the issue in public view, as reported by a mistrial in a downtown road-rage shooting. That case and others have highlighted how quickly traffic disputes can escalate when firearms enter the mix.
Legal implications
Under Oregon law the counts listed by police are felonies. Unlawful use of a weapon and felon-in-possession offenses are covered in ORS Chapter 166, unauthorized use of a vehicle is a Class C felony under ORS 164.135, and attempted first-degree assault is covered by ORS 163.185. Those statutes authorize felony penalties that prosecutors can pursue if formal charges are filed.
What's next
Radford remains in custody at the Multnomah County Detention Center and is facing state felony counts, and no court date has been announced. Police say the investigation is ongoing and encourage witnesses to come forward to help detectives piece together what happened that night.
