White Supremacist Kills Two & Wounds Third
D. S. Mitchell
It was a sunny 80 degrees in Portland, Oregon on May 26, 2017 and three heroes emerged from the many on the Max Green Line that afternoon. It was 4:30 pm and the Line #3 train was headed East from downtown, crowded with homeward bound passengers. These people were just riding a train home and without warning, they were caught up in an American tragedy.
Two teenagers, one black girl, and one Muslim girl who was wearing the traditional head covering hijab became the target of a man using abusive language. A witness, identified as Evelin Hernandez 38, reported that the man became quite agitated and began yelling racial slurs at the two young women. According to Hernandez, the two young women tried to move to the back of the train, while the man continued his rant of insults.
As the teenagers moved away, the insults became more virulent and the situation appeared to quickly escalate. It was at this point, according to witnesses that two men, Best and Namkai-Mechi attempted to intervene and quiet the rowdy man. The agitator continued yelling “hate speech” at the retreating teens. In the midst of the man’s ranting and raving he pulled a knife, turned on the Good Samaritans and viciously stabbed and slashed the two men, slicing each of their necks. A third young man, Micah David-Cole Fletcher stepped in and attempted to stop the carnage, at which time the assailant turned his rage on Fletcher, who was also stabbed, and his throat slashed.
During the assault several passengers called 911 and police were dispatched to the scene. After the attack the perpetrator attempted to flee the scene. After running from the Hollywood Transit Station where the train had stopped, he was apprehended in a neighborhood close to Providence Medical Center, said Portland Police spokesman, Sgt Pete Simpson.
In a prepared statement Simpson identified the alleged killer as Jeremy Joseph Christian, a 35 year old professed white supremacist with a long history of criminal activity, including felony robbery, kidnapping and weapons conviction. Christian served eight years in prison related to the armed robbery of a convenience store when he was 20. During that robbery Jeremy Christian was shot in the face by a Portland police officer during that arrest.
Friday night Christian was booked into Multnomah County Detention Center on suspicion of two counts of aggravated murder and one count of aggravated attempted murder. Christian is currently being held without bail.
Christian is well known to police for his extremist views and verbally abusive behavior. In fact, the day before the killings, police report that the suspect started a fight with a black woman and hurled a plastic bottle at her, and she in turn sprayed him with mace.
At a “March For Free Speech” on April 29, 2017, in Portland, Christian appeared holding a Trump “Make America Great Again” sign and carried a baseball bat. Kathryn Townsend, who also attended the march said he was shunned by other marchers because of his rhetoric and the conspicuous baseball bat. Townsend, a former psychiatric nurse said, “I thought this guy is having a psychiatric break”. Later that same day Jeremy Christian was spotted at a Burger King wrapped in a Revolutionary War flag casting Nazi salutes and shouting, “Die Muslims”.
Recent Facebook posts support a deteriorating mental condition. Christian who lives with his mother described himself as a “nihilist” and “sociopath”. “I am trouble,” he is known to have said. Additionally, Mr. Christian threatened to stab people. He further shared anti-Muslim memes, cursed blacks, espoused Nazi beliefs and called Timothy McVeigh a “true patriot.”
Associates say many of Christian’s friends “unfriended” him due to recent marked behavioral changes. One former associate, identified as Lindsey Self, an RN, stated flatly, “Jeremy is mentally ill”.
The victims:
Ricky John Best, 53 year old Army veteran, father of four who worked as a technician for the City of Portland in the Bureau of Development Services. Several co-workers said that “he would always stand up for what was right,” according to Portland Commissioner Chloe Eudaly. Eudaly continued, “we need to unite against all forms of violence and hate. Our differences should be a cause for celebration, not something that foments hate.”
Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Mechi, 23 year old 2016 Reed College economics graduate who had just bought a house and was planning on getting married. Taliesin, who was originally from Ashland had stayed in Portland after graduation and worked for a local company. One of Taliesin’s childhood friends, Ian Kline volunteered, ” His heroic actions represent the best of what we all hope to be”. Another friend, Jamie Beckett said, ” He was the the kind of guy who made you believe that you can be bigger than yourself”.
Micah David-Cole Fletcher, 21 year old student and aspiring poet, Portland resident, is recovering in a local hospital and expected to recover. A still unidentified man, who said he was a trained Medic applied a cloth and held pressure to Fletcher’s neck wound, probably saving the young man’s life.
The FBI has offered their assistance and resources in the matter and will “determine whether there have been any federal violations”. There are expectations that Jeremy Christian will face further charges, including Federal hate crimes.
Dan Rather said of Best and Namkai-Mechi, “These were brave Americans who died at the hands of someone who, when all the facts are collected, we may have every right to call a terrorist.” Earl Blumenhauer said, “Honor these selfless heroes for showing courage in face of injustice-condemn this violent act-and encourage all Americans to stand together against hatred.”
President Trump on Sunday morning tweeted: “Violent attacks in Portland on Friday are unacceptable. Victims standing up to hate and intolerance. Our prayers are with them.”
A Tri-Met statement was perfectly tuned to the time and situation, “Every person no matter what their color or faith have a right to live in this country without fear”.
In 1999, to a joint session of the U.S. Congress, Elie Wiesel, writer, philosopher, and holocaust survivor described the descent of Germany into Nazism as follows, “There were three types of people in pre-war Germany; the perpetrator, the victim and the bystander.”
Thank God, Elie, at least these three Americans were not bystanders.
Calamity Politics printed an article on 2/25/2017 entitled “The Perils of Indifference”. I have reposted the article as it seems fitting at this time.
*****I am heart broken for the families of these heroes and want any readers to know that at least two GoFundMe pages have been established to collect money for the families of Mr. Best and Mr. Namkai-Mechi and also to assist Mr. Fletcher with his hospital bills. Verify and donate what you feel you can afford.
Dar
