Police seek man they say racially harassed, spit on children in Southeast Portland

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Police Bureau is trying to track down a man who allegedly yelled racial slurs and spit on two children who were walking in Southeast Portland at the end of December.

According to the agency, officers responded to reports of a disturbance near East Burnside Street and Southeast 28th Avenue just before 2:30 p.m. on December 29. A 16-year-old girl told them that she'd been with her 11-year-old brother when a man approached and made "bias-based statements."

The man yelled racial slurs at both of the children and spit on the teenage girl, they told police; following the teen when she tried to walk away.

PPB said that officers looked for the suspect, who had walked off after the incident. He was not located, but there were photos capturing his appearance.

Police confirmed that neither of the children were injured, but began investigating the incident as a potential bias crime "as the suspect subjected the victims to offensive physical contact based on the suspect’s perception of the victims’ race."

Oregon's bias crime statutes cover what are more broadly known as hate crimes. There are two potential charges for bias incidents, one misdemeanor and one felony — the latter reserved for cases where the suspect caused physical injury or put someone in fear of imminent serious physical injury. "Offensive physical contact" falls under the misdemeanor charge, second-degree bias crime.

The suspect is described as a white man in his 40s or 50s, about 5-foot 10-inches tall, skinny and balding, with sandy blonde hair and beard.

Anyone with information about this incident or who knows the identity or location of this suspect is asked to e-mail crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov attn: Bias Crimes Unit and reference case number 23-334800.

This is a developing story and may be updated with more details as they emerge.