Washington exchange student from Peru among Portland shooter's victims

One of two teenage girls killed when a gunman fired into a crowd outside an under-21 nightclub in Portland on Saturday night was a Peruvian exchange student living in White Salmon, a small community across the border in Washington state.

"She was a happy, bubbly person," said Lori Stadler, whose family was acting as host for the 17-year-old girl while she attended Columbia High School in White Salmon.

The girl's name was being withheld pending notification of her mother, who lives in Peru. But on Sunday, word of her death reached some residents in the Klickitat County city, about 60 miles east of Vancouver, Wash., in the Columbia Gorge.

The other girl who was killed was identified as Ashley L. Wilks, 16, of the Portland area, who was getting ready to leave for France as an exchange student, The Oregonian newspaper reported.

Seven other people were wounded, one critically, by the 24-year-old gunman, who shot himself in the head and was in critical condition Sunday at a Portland hospital. Police identified him as Erik Salvador Ayala, The Oregonian reported.

The two dead girls were part of a group of Rotary-sponsored exchange students who went to celebrate a birthday at The Zone, a 20-and-under dance club where no alcohol is served.

Portland Police Chief Rosie Sizer called the shooting "unprecedented" in the city. "It is extraordinary that this many people could be shot in Portland, Oregon," she said.

"At first blush, this incident appears to be a random act of violence, of the kind that makes you despair for America," Sizer said.

Janet McCutcheon, assistant principal at Columbia High, said the Peruvian girl began attending the school at the end of August, entering as a junior.

The girl, who was shy, well-liked and enjoyed dancing, spent much of her time at Columbia with the school's two other exchange students, McCutcheon said.

"She really wanted to learn more English," McCutcheon said, noting the Rotary's rigorous application procedures.

Counselors will be made available today to the 350 students who attend Columbia and its alternative school, McCutcheon said.

White Salmon has about 2,500 residents, with a surrounding community of about the same number, McCutheon said.

The girl had been living with the Stadler family of six for about a month, after living with another family in the community as part of a rotation.

The girl is from Arequipa, Peru, a major city in the southern part of the country, The Oregonian reported.

Lori Stadler said the birthday event was closely supervised by chaperones.

The girl was standing on a sidewalk outside the downtown club with a group of about 10 exchange students when she was shot, Stadler said.

"It was just a horrible thing," Stadler said.

McCutcheon said the girl was part of an exchange in which a Columbia student traveled to Peru to live in the girl's community.

The Columbia student became close to the mother of the girl who was killed, McCutcheon said.

McCutcheon said the shootings appeared to be a random act in a part of Portland considered to be safe.

"I'm thinking about the mother and the whole scene — you send your daughter away," McCutcheon said, referring to the mother of the Peruvian girl.

Mark Slater, the Portland detective overseeing the investigation, said the shootings occurred in a popular entertainment district generally considered to be safe but with some history of shootings, stabbing and fights.

Detective Mary Wheat, a police spokeswoman, said the shootings do not appear connected to gangs, and there was no indication the man had a relationship with any of the people he shot in front of the club.

Eight of the nine people shot were in front of the club. It's unknown if they were all waiting to enter. A stray bullet hit an employee of the neighboring Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub.

One of the wounded was in critical condition Sunday; two others were treated and released. The rest were hospitalized but expected to survive.

Scott Bieber, the youth protection officer for the exchange program, said four of the wounded were exchange students. They are residents of Ecuador, France, Guatemala and Taiwan.

"Our hearts and our sympathies, thoughts and prayers go out to the victims' parents for their loss," Bieber said. "But it just kind of makes it harder to fathom when the whole purpose of this program is to foster peace and goodwill and understanding around the world."

Wilks' stepfather, Randy Thiesen, told The Oregonian the family is not ready to talk: "We're just shocked. We're not doing good."

Wheat said investigators are trying to determine the shooter's path to the club, but it does not appear he had been inside it or the neighboring bar before the shooting, which was reported to 911 dispatchers at 10:37 p.m.

Police have recovered the gun, Wheat said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Steve Miletich: 206-464-3302 or smiletich@seattletimes.com