Mike Hilbrandt’s Instagram post.
Portlander Mike Hilbrandt faces multiples surgeries and is recovering at a local hospital after being shot in the arm Tuesday night.
According to a source who’s related to Hilbrandt, the incident started on East Burnside. Hilbrandt was bicycling along Burnside near 12th Avenue when he noticed an SUV in the bike lane. As Hilbrandt passed it, he tapped on the window to alert the driver to his presence. He was then chased and verbally threatened before being shot at Ankeny and 13th.
“Guy in a SUV rolled up on me at Ankeny and 13th, said “i’m gonna fucking shoot you…” and then he did,” was how Hilbrandt described what happened in an Instagram post from his hospital bed late last night. The driver of the SUV then sped off and is still on the loose.
His injuries are not life-threatening, but the bullet shattered both bones in his arm and he faces several surgeries. “Orthopedist is optimistic they can save the arm,” Hilbrandt says.
E Burnside has a door-zone bike lane that is frequently blocked by drivers.
“We are so relieved that Mike is recuperating and while we are shaken, we are very grateful that he’s alive,” says someone who knows Hilbrandt and reached out to us about the incident.
Hilbrandt is well-known in our community. He’s married to the daughter of former Bike Gallery owner Jay Graves, has served as a medic at local bike races, has worked as a guide for the Mountain Bike Oregon event, and volunteers with Pacific Northwest Search and Rescue.
Portland Police responded to the shooting just after 11:00 pm last night. They’ve released no additional details and urge anyone with information to call the non-emergency line at (503) 823-3333.
The section of Burnside where the incident began has an unprotected, door-zone bike lane that is often blocked by auto users. The bike lane is relatively narrow and it’s adjacent to three standard lanes. In 2016, another bicycle rider on this section of Burnside was frustrated and scared and struck a window with his fist, only to be pulled over by a police officer who was nearby.
Friends have launched a GoFundMe page to help cover medical expenses. You can also mail donations to:
Mike Hilbrandt Recovery Fund
c/o Jay Graves
P.O. Box 790
Banks, OR 97106
— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
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