Shots were fired near the Oregon Truck Driving Championships in Portland. Many thought the sounds of the gunshots were firecrackers. The event’s spokesperson talked to news media about police not having free cars to respond to the incident. The event leaders are now considering a new location for the futyre of the event. No one was reported as injured.
The trucking event has hundreds of people in attendance. There were 70 competitors that attended this year at the Oregon Truck Driving Championships this weekend. It was held at a truck terminal in North Portland. The Oregon Trucking Association President CEO Jana Jarvis took time to address concerns after the shots were fired during the event.
Jana Jarvis said, “It’s our annual competition where our very best drivers will come out and compete on a skills course, they also have a knowledge test and they’re also tested on their ability to spot defects in the equipment that they’re operating. This year, we were so excited because over half of our contestants were rookies. They have never participated in the event before, so that was very encouraging.”
The winners of the Oregon Truck Driving Championships get the opportunity to compete nationally in August. Columbus, Ohio will be the place where the nationals are held. The spokesperson said there were no officers available when they received the call about the gunshors.
Following the incident, Jana said they’re rethinking the location of this competition for the future. “We’ll certainly give it some serious consideration next year. I’ve had several individuals reach out to me since and suggest perhaps we have it in another location outside of Portland.”
