When hatred goes unchecked, it can lead to a disaster and tragically, far too often, violent words lead to violent actions. On a busy MAX train in Portland, Oregon, in 2017, a man unleashed a racist and xenophobic attack, mainly aimed at two Muslim teenagers. The perpetrator had been a member of the alt-right movement and had made blatant indications in his words and his actions that he was radicalized. A number of onlookers would come to the girls’ aid but then things took a deadly turn, a turn that would result in innocent people paying the ultimate price.
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Audio Sources:
“Jeremy Christian threatens to kill victim during outburst at sentencing”
“Police video shows Portland MAX train stabbing suspect’s Jeremy Christian’s rant after arrest”
“Jeremy Christian at a protest 1 month before MAX train stabbing”
“Suspect Rants on Train One Day Before Attack”
“Raw: Jeremy Christian disputes detective’s testimony during MAX attack trial (graphic language)”
“Witness Shawn Forde recounts 2017 MAX stabbings during Jeremy Christian’s trial”
“Jeremy Christian makes a statement at his sentencing hearing”
“Prosecutor describes Portland MAX train stabbing as it unfolded”
“New video released shows MAX stabbing survivor with suspect one month prior to attack”
“Jeremy Joseph Christian makes first public court appearance – Daily Mail”
“Stabbing survivor Micah Fletcher speaks during Jeremy Christian’s sentencing hearing”
“Witnesses testify in Portland MAX train stabbing trial”
“Surviving victim of Portland MAX stabbing recites winning poem at 2013 poetry slam”
“MAX stabbing trial: Jeremy Christian told detective ‘They signed their own death warrant’”
“Use-of-force expert is cross-examined by prosecution in MAX stabbing trial”
“‘I felt like I let the man down’: Witness Charles Button testifies in MAX stabbing”
“Portland Stabbing Victim Speaks Out”
“Days after being stabbed by Jeremy Christian, Micah Fletcher says he’s no hero”
Sources:
CBS – 4 KMOV, 26 May, 2017 – “Victims Identified in Triple Max Train Stabbing”
ABC – 13 WVEC, 27 May, 2017 – “GoFundMe Page for Stabbing Victims Raises More than $150k in Less than 24 Hours”
ABC – 13 WVEC, 27 May, 2017 – “Victims Identified in MAX Train Stabbing”
Associated Press, 27 May, 2017 – “Men Who Confronted Attacker Died Heroes”
Associated Press, 27 May, 2017 – “Suspect in Portland Stabbings Ranted About Muslims”
The Oregonian, 27 May, 2017 – “Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche’s Friends: ‘He’s Just the Best Person’”
The Oregonian, 27 May, 2017 – “Max Stabbing Victim Graduated from Reed College”
The Oregonian, 27 May, 2017 – “Give it up for Love”
The Oregonian, 27 May, 2017 – “MAX Heroes Spoke up to a Voice of Hate”
The Oregonian, 27 May, 2017 – “Too Early to Call MAX Attacks a Federal Hate Crime or Terrorism”
The Oregonian, 27 May, 2017 – “Surviving Victim of Friday Train Stabbing a Poet and PSU Student”
Beaverton Valley Times, 27 May 2017 – “Vigil Set Tonight in Tigard, Following Deadly MAX Attack”
The Guardian, 27 May, 2017 – “Suspect in Portland Double Murder Posted White Supremacist Material”
NBC – 8 KGW, 27 May, 2017 – “TriMet Rampage”
The Oregonian, 27 May, 2017 – “MAX Attack Unfolded Quickly”
ABC – 11 WHAS, 28 May, 2017 – “Fundraising Pages for Stabbing Victims Raise Almost $700k in Less than 48 Hours”
Agence France-Presse, 28 May, 2017 – “Shocked Oregonians Honor Victims of Hate Speech Attack”
Associated Press, 28 May, 2017 – “Family, Friends Hail Men who Died Trying to Stop Attack”
Associated Press, 28 May, 2017 – “Muslims Thankful for Support After Rant, Deadly Attack”
The Independent, 28 May, 2017 – “Portland Murders”
Associated Press, 29 May, 2017 – “Video Shows Racist Rant Day Before Train Attack”
Associated Press, 30 May, 2017 – “Portland Uneasy”
The Denver Post, 30 May, 2017 – “Portland Stabbing Victim’s Last Words: Tell Everyone on this Train I Love Them”
The Mississippi Press, 30 May, 2017 – “Man Confesses to Portland Train Stabbings”
The Oregonian, 30 May, 2017 – “Who is Jeremy Christian?”
The Oregonian, 31 May, 2017 – “MAX Train Stabbings Echo Vicious 1988 Portland Murder”
The Oregonian, 1 June, 2017 – “Family of Jeremy Christian Issues Statement of Condolences”
The Oregonian, 1 June, 2017 – “Teen Targeted in Portland Max Attack Meets Micah Fletcher”
Oswego News, 1 June, 2017 – “Man Stabbed in Portland While Coming to Aid of Two Girls Shifts Focus to Them”
The Times-Picayune, 3 June, 2017 – “Portland Stabbing Victim’s Wedding Ring Stolen”
The Guardian, 4 June, 2017 – “Alt-Right Portland Rally Sees Skirmishes with Counter-Protestors”
Clackamas Review, 5 June, 2017 – “World Watches Gathering to remember Happy Valley’s Ricky Best”
The Oregonian, 5 June, 2017 – “Family of Rick Best Asks Well-Wishers to Line Funeral Procession Route”
The Seattle Times, 5 June, 2017 – “I Have a Purpose”
The Ashland Tidings, 6 June, 2017 – “Portland Hate Crime”
The Catholic Telegraph, 6 June, 2017 – “Hundreds Mourn Mag Killed During Heroic Act”
The Oregonian, 6 June, 2017 – “Indictment Returned Against Accused”
NBC – 4 KFOR, 7 June, 2017 – “Portland Train Stabbing Suspect has Another Outburst in Court”
NBC – 8 KGW, 7 June, 2017 – “Slain MAX Train Hero Honoured at Ashland Memorial”
The Oregonian, 7 June, 2017 – “Ashland Remembers MAX Hero Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche”
The Oregonian, 17 June, 2017 – “Legacy Health Waives Medical Costs”
The Oregonian, 18 August, 2017 – “Woman Criticizes TriMet”
Portland Tribune, 26 October, 2017 – “TriMet Announces Max Stabbing Memorials”
Clackamas Review, 20 November, 2017 – “Jeremy Christian Denied Bail”
NBC – 8 KGW, 15 December, 2017 – “Trial for MAX Stabbing Suspect”
The Oregonian, 9 March, 2018 – “Artist Unveils Mural Design for MAX Platform”
The Oregonian, 25 May, 2018 – “MAX Anniversary Ceremony Will Honor Heroes”
The Oregonian, 27 May, 2018 – “Community Turns out to Honor Heroes, Victims”
Associated Press, 17 August, 2018 – “Victims of Light-Rail Stabbing Reach Agreement”
NBC – 8 KGW, 26 April, 2019 – “Liar, Liar”
The Oregonian, 26 April, 2019 – “Jeremy Christian’s Courtroom Outburst”
Associated Press State Wire, 24 May, 2019 – “TriMet, Police, Failed to Prevent Fatal Attack”
The Oregonian, 30 October, 2019 – “DA Agrees with Defence”
NBC – 8 KGW, 28 January, 2020 – “Brutal Details Released”
The Oregonian, 28 January, 2020 – “MAX Stabbing Trial”
NBC – 8 KGW, 29 Janaury, 2020 – “That’s Coded Language for a White Supremacist”
The Oregonian, 29 January, 2020 – “A Human Being Knows When They’re Mortally Wounded”
NBC – 8 KGW, 30 Janaury, 2020 – “Jeremy Christian Trial”
The Oregonian, 2 February, 2020 – “Videos Show Compassion Amid Tragedy”
NBC – 8 KGW, 3 February, 2020 – “Jeremy Christian Trial”
NBC – 8 KGW, 4 February, 2020 – “I Pushed Him and He Responded by Stabbing Me”’=
The Oregonian, 4 February, 2020 – “Micah Fletcher Takes Stand”
NBC – 8 KGW, 5 February, 2020 – “She’s Lying!”
The Oregonian, 5 February, 2020 – “They Signed their Own Death Warrant”
The Oregonian, 10 February 2020 – “Expert at MAX Stabbing Trial”
NBC – 8 KGW, 11 February, 2020 – “Forensic Psychologist Testified”
The Oregonian, 12 February, 2020 – “MAX Stabbings Defendant Jeremy Christian Has Autism”
The Oregonian, 13 February, 2020 – “MAX Train Video Shows Jeremy Christian Had Been Thinking About Stabbing People”
NBC – 5 KING, 18 February, 2020 – “Jury Reaches Verdict”
NBC – 7 KTVB, 21 February, 2020 – “Justice Has Been Served”
The Oregonian, 24 June, 2020 – “Judge Sentences MAX Train Murderer”
