Portland stabbings: Good Samaritans stabbed to death protecting female teens on train - TomoNews
- 7 years ago
PORTLAND, OREGON — A man accused of hurling racial and anti-Muslim insults at women on a train fatally stabbed two passengers and wounded a third after they attempted to stop him.
Jeremy Joseph Christian, 35, was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on suspicion of aggravated murder and attempted murder on Saturday morning, according to The Oregonian. He’s being held without bail.
Authorities said Christian will be arraigned on Tuesday and could face additional charges, according to the New York Times.
The incident began on Friday afternoon on an eastbound MAX train at the Hollywood Transit Station when Christian began making racist remarks towards two women, one of whom was wearing a hijab.
According to a witness, Christian said, “Get off the bus, and get out of the country because you don’t pay taxes here.”
Christian also said he didn’t like Muslims and that Muslims are criminals, according to the witness.
That’s when three good Samaritans approached Christian and tried to calm him down. The suspect reacted by pulling out a knife and stabbing the men.
Ricky John Best, 53, died at the scene, while Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche, 23, died in the hospital. Micah David-Cole Fletcher, 21, was also injured in the attack, but police said his injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.
While authorities were responding to the report of the attack, Christian got off the train and attempted to leave the area on foot. He was quickly located by police and taken into custody.
Authorities have said they will examine his extremist ideology. Christian appeared to have an affinity for the alt-right and Nazis through his social media posts.
Jeremy Joseph Christian, 35, was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on suspicion of aggravated murder and attempted murder on Saturday morning, according to The Oregonian. He’s being held without bail.
Authorities said Christian will be arraigned on Tuesday and could face additional charges, according to the New York Times.
The incident began on Friday afternoon on an eastbound MAX train at the Hollywood Transit Station when Christian began making racist remarks towards two women, one of whom was wearing a hijab.
According to a witness, Christian said, “Get off the bus, and get out of the country because you don’t pay taxes here.”
Christian also said he didn’t like Muslims and that Muslims are criminals, according to the witness.
That’s when three good Samaritans approached Christian and tried to calm him down. The suspect reacted by pulling out a knife and stabbing the men.
Ricky John Best, 53, died at the scene, while Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche, 23, died in the hospital. Micah David-Cole Fletcher, 21, was also injured in the attack, but police said his injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.
While authorities were responding to the report of the attack, Christian got off the train and attempted to leave the area on foot. He was quickly located by police and taken into custody.
Authorities have said they will examine his extremist ideology. Christian appeared to have an affinity for the alt-right and Nazis through his social media posts.