A Portland man has been slapped with assault and bias crime charges after a series of attacks in the Hazelwood neighborhood. Fabian Steven Bigeagle, 51, was arrested on February 5 when East Precinct officers were called to an apartment on the 12000 block of Southeast Ash Street. According to Portland Police, the victim, an adult male, declared he had been punched in the face by Bigeagle, a neighbor who had previously hurled racial slurs at him. The report details that Bigeagle did not remain in custody for long and was swiftly released under local guidelines, the same day he was initially charged with Assault in the Fourth Degree. Later, charges were upgraded to include Bias Crime in the First Degree.
Another assault on March 13 spurred a fresh round of police action, with officers summoned back to the scene of the crime. The attacker had once again targeted the same victim, using racial epithets to accompany his violent act. By the time law enforcement arrived, Bigeagle had managed to quickly flee the area. Police documents obtained from the Portland Police Bureau confirm the next arrest came on March 14 after an early morning chase led to Bigeagle’s apprehension.
Bigeagle, now facing a litany of charges including Bias Crime in the Second Degree, Burglary in the First Degree, and another count of Assault in the Fourth Degree, was taken to Multnomah County Detention Center. The Major Crimes Unit of the Portland Police Bureau has taken the lead in investigating both incidents involving the accused. Release details following the second arrest have not been provided at the time of this report.
The neighborhood, typically quieter and more residential, has been shaken by the events. Residents are questioning the efficacy of the system that allowed Bigeagle to be rapidly released after the initial charges, only to allegedly commit a similar offense a mere few weeks later. The concern for public safety has been magnified given the biased nature of the crime, raising alarms about the potential for repeat offenses and the message it sends to communities already grappling with racial tensions. This development will likely press local officials to more closely scrutinize release policies and the handling of bias-related incidents.
