TriMet Murder Suspect Jeremy Christian Makes Second Court Appearance

PORTLAND, OR — TriMet murder suspect Jeremy Christian appeared in a Multnomah County courthouse Wednesday morning for arraignment on charges stemming from the May 26 stabbing incident in which two Portland men were killed and another seriously wounded.

Entering quietly, Christian stood silent throughout his short court appearance — a far cry from his initial showing, during which he shouted "Death to the enemies of America," "Leave this country if you hate our freedom," "Death to Antifa," and "You call it terrorism, I call it patriotism."

On June 7, Christian waited until just before he was led out of the courtroom to say — seemingly at surviving TriMet victim Micah Fletcher, who was seated near the front row — "Not guilty of anything but protecting myself against violent aggression by Micah Fletcher."

Christian's new indictment, filed Tuesday, included additional charges related to an incident on May 25 where Christian reportedly threw a bottle of Gatorade at a woman during a different altercation on a MAX train at the Rose Quarter station. The woman, who is black, reportedly sprayed Christian with a can of mace during the confrontation.

For the May 25 incident, Christian was charged with intimidation, assault, unlawful use of a weapon, and menacing. Those charges increase the total to 15, the most severe of which — two counts of aggravated murder — carry a potential death penalty.

As previously reported, on May 26 Christian boarded a TriMet train and allegedly began insulting two black teenage girls, one of whom was wearing a hijab. During the altercation, the girls tried to step away from Christian who was quickly confronted by Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche and Fletcher, who Christian shoved just before pulling a knife and concealing it in his hand.

As Fletcher regained his balance he shoved Christian in return, who then came back and stabbed Fletcher in the neck. Christian then reportedly stabbed Namkai-Meche before also stabbing another Samaritan intervener, 53-year-old Army veteran and Portland city employee Ricky Best.

Best died on the MAX. Namkai-Meche died at hospital.

Following his arrest for the murders, Christian reportedly told officers from the backseat of a Portland police cruiser:

"I just stabbed a bunch of motherf-----s in their neck. Just a punk ass bunch of motherf-----s."
"Get stabbed in your neck if you hate free speech."
"I'm tearing out motherf-----'s throats, you think I give a f--- who I spit on?"
"I can die in prison a happy man."
"I'm all good. I stabbed two motherf-----s in the neck and I'm happy now. I'm happy now. I can rest easy."
"Think I stab motherf-----s in the neck for fun? Oh yeah, you're right I do. I'm a patriot."
"I told him, 'you ain't gonna heal punk.' And he still wants to put hands on me. Die b----. F---ing die.... That's what liberalism gets you."

Christian's complete list of charges are as follows:

• Aggravated murder — two counts;
• Attempted aggravated murder;
• Unlawful use of a weapon — five counts;
• Intimidation — three counts;
• First degree and second degree assault — two counts total; and
• Menacing — two counts.

Christian's next court appearance is scheduled for July 18.

Photo Courtesy: Multnomah County Sheriff's Office