73-year-old Chinese man brutally beaten while fishing in Portland
March 15, 2024
Xinmin Liang, a 73-year-old Chinese man, was brutally attacked while he was fishing alone on a Portland waterfront.
Key points:
- In an unprovoked attack on Tuesday morning, a white man allegedly beat Liang using a wood stick, breaking his left arm and leaving him bruised and swollen.
- While Liang’s family wonders if race was a potential motive for the assault, the incident is currently not being investigated as a hate crime.
The details:
- The incident occurred at Liang’s usual fishing spot on the Eastbank Esplanade by the Willamette River. According to Liang’s daughter, Jie, the attacker in a blue beanie randomly came up to her dad and “without saying a word, started using a thick, fat wood stick and started pounding on him.”
- The white man, described as around 5-foot-7- to 5-foot-8 tall, allegedly kept hitting Liang while he was trying to protect his head using his arms, leading to two broken bones in his left arm.
- Unable to call 911 due to his limited English, Xinmin took a train back to his apartment in downtown Portland, where he met with his wife and sought assistance. Police later arrived to document the incident.
- “When I first saw him, it was terrifying, blood all over his face. And his eye is swollen like a golf ball size, it was so terrifying,” Jie told Fox 12.
- According to Jie, her father will need to undergo surgery to repair his broken arm. The ER doctor emphasized that Liang’s protective actions likely saved his life. Without shielding his head during the attack, he may have faced fatal injuries.
Liang’s warning:
- Liang’s family suspects racial motivations and warns others, particularly the Asian American community, to be cautious. “All the Asian community, especially the ones with senior parents that are in town, just be careful. Don’t go to places [where there’s] nobody around and alone because right now, Portland doesn’t really feel safe,” Jie said.
What’s next:
- Although the case is not currently being investigated as a hate crime, the Portland Police Bureau noted that could change as the investigation progresses. The police have shared a photo of a potential suspect with the affected family, but Liang is uncertain if it’s the same person. Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact the police.
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