The quiet stretch of Northeast Portland turned tragic just before midnight, when 57-year-old Ernesto Castellanos was found fatally shot outside a Plaid Pantry convenience store. What should have been another routine night on the job ended in violence, leaving a community shaken and searching for answers.
Police say officers were called to the store near Northeast 60th Avenue and Northeast Columbia Boulevard after someone reported finding a man unconscious. When they arrived, they discovered Castellanos suffering from what appeared to be a gunshot wound. Despite the urgency of the situation, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators later confirmed Castellanos was a local resident and an employee at the Plaid Pantry. For those who knew him, that detail cuts deep. He wasn’t just a victim of a crime; he was a familiar face, someone who likely spent countless hours serving customers and keeping the store running.
In the hours following the shooting, authorities released images of a man believed to be connected to the killing. The suspect is described as a white male in his 20s or 30s, standing about 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing roughly 170 pounds. He was last seen wearing a black knit beanie, a black sweatshirt with the words “Here to crash the party” printed across the front, blue jeans, and black shoes.
Police say the man was carrying a handgun and should be considered armed and dangerous. They have made it clear that no one should attempt to approach him under any circumstances. Instead, they are urging the public to report any sightings immediately.
The case has left many in the area uneasy. A neighborhood that typically sees late-night foot traffic and quick stops at the convenience store is now the center of a homicide investigation. Residents are left wondering how something so sudden and violent could happen in a place so familiar.
Authorities continue to piece together what led to the shooting. Detectives are asking anyone with information about the suspect’s identity or whereabouts to come forward. Even the smallest detail, they say, could help bring clarity and, ultimately, justice for Castellanos.
For now, the investigation remains active. And as police work through the evidence, a family mourns, coworkers grieve, and a city waits for answers that cannot come soon enough.
