Multnomah County Police
Jeremy Joseph Christian, 35, is suspected in the stabbing death of two men on a Portland train Friday afternoon. Christian was allegedly “ranting and raving” at two Muslim women on-board the train. While spewing his crazed hate speech lecture, three men approached the suspect, in attempt to calm him down and neutralize the incident
But the situation got a whole lot worse when Christian attacked the three man and stabbed each of them. Two died in this attack, one man died at the scene while the other passed away in a hospital. The third man is injured while the suspect has been apprehended by authorities.
What Happened?
A Portland police spokesman said that Christian was yelling “yelling a gamut of anti-Muslim and anti-everything slurs,” in what “would best be characterized as hate speech toward a variety of ethnicities and religions,” late Friday night on a Metropolitan Area Express (MAX) light-rail train.
Two witnesses were Muslim women, once of which were wearing a hijab. They may have been the target of his verbal tirade.
Three men approached the ranting suspect as a means to calm him down. But their words weren’t able to quiet Jeremy’s rage as he pulled out a knife and started stabbing the concerned commuters. Two men died in the stabbing, while the other survived his injuries.
Jeremy Joseph Christian was arrested in the fatal stabbing. He has been charged with two counts of aggravated murder, one count of attempted murder, two counts of second-degree intimidation and felony possession of a restricted weapon.
Investigators haven’t been able to determine if the two Muslim women previously mentioned were truly the target of Christian’s crazed hate rant. Portland authorities want to conduct an interview with these two witnesses, to find out more about the attack.
Authorities aren’t sure if mental illness or any drugs/alcohol had played a factor in the stabbing or the ranting.
Council on American-Islamic Relations National Executive Director Nihad Awad believes that Donald Trump must address “the rising tide of Islamophobia and other forms of bigotry and racism in our nation.”
“President Trump must speak out personally against the rising tide of Islamophobia and other forms of bigotry and racism in our nation that he has provoked through his numerous statements, policies and appointments that have negatively impacted minority communities,” said Awad.
Where was that train?
The train was in Portland, Oregon during this fatal stabbing that has left two men dead.
