FBI warns Portland-area law enforcement about potential New Orleans copycats

Local law enforcement agencies are on heightened alert after the FBI warned agencies about the potential for copycats who might try to mimic the attack in New Orleans.

“I’m scared, but you can’t live your life being scared,” Gage Wise told KATU as he was about to enter the Schnitzer for a Harry Potter Orchestra concert. “I told her as we were driving up here that something could happen. You just got to be prepared for it."

“I think at this point it’s just one of the things where you don’t know what can happen. You may or may not go home, and that’s such a scary thing,” newlywed Carmen Ruiz told KATU.

The FBI Portland Office told KATU: "The FBI regularly shares information with our law enforcement partners to assist in protecting the communities we serve. The U.S. remains in a heightened threat environment and watchful for potential threats to public safety and we will work with our partners to determine their credibility, share information, and take appropriate investigative action. We take all threats seriously and ask members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement. Tips can also be submitted to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov or 1-800-CALL FBI.”

ABC News has learned that the FBI and Department of Homeland Security sent out a joint intelligence bulletin, warning the nation’s law enforcement agencies about the potential for copycats who might try to mimic the attack in New Orleans. Police said the suspect was inspired by ISIS.

Sources told ABC News in recent months that ISIS has ramped up calls for motor vehicle attacks and other low-technology-but-deadly-efficient ways of killing victims in mass.

Police are given tips in the bulletin on what to look out for: Including pre-operational surveillance and use of fraudulent IDs and credit cards to rent vehicles as potential signs of upcoming attacks.

Most local law enforcement agencies KATU reached out to refused to comment, but Portland Timbers FC, the team that plays at Providence Park and can hold more than 25,000 people, issued this statement:

Providence Park security conducts a risk assessment for each event based on intelligence provided by the Portland Police Bureau and federal law enforcement agencies.

We utilize a vehicle mitigation system that includes permanent bollards, road closures and parking restrictions. K-9 units, bomb detection officers, uniformed PPB officers, camera surveillance and a clear bag policy are a few of the more visible measures we have in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our guests and employees at Providence Park.

There are no events scheduled at the stadium this month.

Although concerns about a copycat attack are on some minds, most refuse to let that get in the way of their plans.

"We got to keep going and try to push through and stay as safe as we can and try to just keep living,” Chelsea McBride from McMinnville said.

https://katu.com/news/local/fbi-warns-portland-area-law-enforcement-about-potential-new-orleans-terror-attack-copycats

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Author: KATU News
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News post in at: January 6, 2025, 3:00 am.

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