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'He was our hero': Man killed, two injured in 'senseless' shooting outside Moda Center

The shooting followed a performance of the Nick Cannon series "Wild 'N Out Live." In an unrelated incident, Comedian Katt Williams, who was supposed to take part in the performance, was arrested on accusations that he assaulted a town car driver before the show.

A 44-year-old man died and two people were seriously injured after a shooting outside the Moda Center Friday night, police said.

At 11:36 p.m. an officer on patrol on Northeast Multnomah Street and Wheeler Avenue saw a man fire a gun. The officer detained the shooter, identified as 35-year-old Robert J. James, and seized the gun as evidence.

The shooting followed a performance of the Nick Cannon series "Wild 'N Out Live." In an unrelated incident, Comedian Katt Williams, who was supposed to take part in the performance, was arrested on accusations that he assaulted a town car driver before the show.

During the investigation into the shooting, officers learned that two men and a woman had arrived separately to two different hospitals with gunshot wounds.

One of the men was pronounced dead by hospital staff. He was identified Sunday as 44-year-old Markell Devon Jones.

His death was the result of homicidal violence from multiple gunshot wounds, according to the Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office.

Markell Devon Jones (photo: Portland Police Bureau)

Jones' family is calling this a senseless act of violence.

“It's devastating," his younger sister Kanisha Lomax told KGW, "He should've been able to go to the show and go to his car like everybody else and be safe.”

His family remembers Jones as someone with a big personality who was always smiling.

“He meant a lot, to a lot of us,” Lomax said. “He was our hero. He was a father. He was a son. He was a grandfather. He was so much, so much to everybody.”

The other victims were treated for serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Investigators believe the woman was not an intended target.

James was booked into the Multnomah County Jail and charged with murder.

“We definitely want closure,” Lomax said. “We want to know who did this and why. It was senseless. It was stupid, you know he wasn't looking for trouble.”

Anyone with information the shooting is asked to contact Detective Vince Cui at 503-823-0449, Vince.Cui@portlandoregon.gov or Detective Meghan Burkeen at 503-823-2092, Meghan.Burkeen@portlandoregon.gov .

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