08:59 AM PDT on Monday, August 8, 2005

By kgw.com and AP Staff

An attempted murder charge has been filed against a 22-year-old man accused of firing shots in downtown Portland this weekend, the latest in a spate of center city shootings that have caused angst among nightclub patrons.

kgw.com photo/police mugshot

Nathan Leon Howard.

Nathan Leon Howard was also charged with unlawful use of a weapon. Officers recovered a gun from the car that Howard was in when he was arrested, police Sgt. Brian Schmautz said.

The shots were fired early Sunday in a parking lot at SW First Ave. and SW Yamhill Street. Police said they think at least one other person was involved in the exchange of gunfire just before 2 a.m.

Gang task force officers were looking for the second suspect, whose description was not released.

Detectives did not locate anyone actually struck by the bullets, although a car in the parking lot was apparently hit.

The dowtown Portland shooting was the fourth to occur in three months.