Pepper Spray Attack on Kids Probed as Bias Crime

Three children on the street were pepper sprayed by a stranger in a bicycle Tuesday night in what Portland Police is investigating as a possible bias crime. The kids are African-American and their attacker was white or Hispanic.

The incident happened on the 5500 block of Northeast 9th Avenue.

The kids - three boys, ages 12, 11, and seven - were treated by medical personnel on scene and did not have to be taken to the hospital.

The mother and grandmother of the kids told officers that the man on the bicycle rode by them and then doubled back. As he passed the kids, he used pepper spray on the kids and yelled a racial epithet.

The victims described the suspect as a white or Hispanic male in his mid-20s, 5'9" tall, 160 pounds, wearing black spandex-style bicycle clothing and a grey and black helmet. The suspect was riding a road-style bicycle (not a mountain bike), with a white box on the back of the bicycle.

Officers searched the neighborhood but did not locate anyone matching the suspect's description. Frazier found the white box in the neighborhood and turned it over to police. The box contained various tools but no identifying information.

Due to the nature of the report, a detective assigned to investigate Bias Crimes is conducting the investigation.

Anyone with information about this incident or the identity of the suspect is asked to contact Detective Jeff Sharp at 503-823-9773, jeff.sharp@portlandoregon.gov.

Bias crimes are defined as any criminal act that targets a victim based on the suspect's perception of the victim's race, color, religion, national origin or sexual orientation.

The Portland Police Bureau investigates all reported incidents of bias crimes and encourages any member of our community who is the victim of such a crime to contact law enforcement.

If you have been the victim of a bias crime assault, immediately call 9-1-1. If you have been the victim of a bias crime, such as vandalism or graffiti, please call the non-emergency line at 503-823-3333.

Photo Colin Miner