Suspect flees after random NW Portland attack leaves man injured
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A man is recovering from injuries after he said he was randomly attacked by a stranger on Thursday afternoon in Northwest Portland.
The attack victim, Joseph Qualls -- a plumber for Apollo Services -- said he was on 21st Avenue near Rudy's Barbershop for a job at a nearby apartment complex around 1 p.m. when a man approached him.
Qualls said the man asked if he could buy his tools, but after he told him no, Qualls said the stranger became violent.
“At that point he got angry, belligerent, started making threats, saying he could beat me up,” Qualls said. “He just started punching my face, punching me.”
Qualls said he called 911 and filed a report with Portland Police.
“While I was on the phone with 911 he came back, knocked on my passenger window," Qualls explained. "I had to hit the panic button on my work truck."
According to the Portland Police Bureau, the suspect fled the scene and no arrests have been made.
Qualls noted the man appeared to be homeless and had an “SS” tattoo on his face.
After the attack, Qualls went to the hospital and found out one of the bones in his face is broken.