In a harrowing incident in the Mill Park Neighborhood, Portland Police Bureau officers intervened to stop a stabbing assault that left two people seriously injured. The attack took place early Thursday morning on April 4, 2024. Authorities received an emergency call just after midnight, indicating a violent disturbance at an apartment on Southeast 122nd Avenue. A second caller reported a stabbing, setting off an urgent police response.
Arriving at the scene within minutes, the responding officers could hear the ongoing altercation. They found the assailant, later identified as 21-year-old Justin G. Barrera-Guild, attacking one of the victims. Attempts to immediately restrain the man turned violent when he rushed a sergeant, managing to strike him in the neck before being subdued and handcuffed by police, as documented in a PPB news release.
The two victims, a pregnant 42-year-old woman and a 44-year-old man, who were found to have sustained severe stab wounds, were rushed to a local hospital. Despite the gravity of their injuries, medical staff were able to stabilize them and they are both expected to survive. The PPB's release stated that the sergeant assaulted during the arrest did not sustain serious injuries.
Investigators, identifying the incident as domestic violence-related, have revealed that Barrera-Guild and the female victim were in a domestic relationship. The Portland Police Special Victims Unit, undertaking an in-depth probe into the assault, recovered a pink folding knife with a broken tip believed to have been used in the attack. They also found brass knuckles, which they suspect were deployed both to assault the female victim and the police sergeant. Evidence photos have been released by the authorities, highlighting the seriousness of the weapons used.
After the altercation was brought under control, Barrera-Guild faced multiple charges, including Domestic Violence Assault in the First Degree and Assault on a Public Safety Officer. He is currently held at the Multnomah County Detention Center. The PPB press release noted that the case is still under active investigation and has encouraged anyone with additional information to contact them, specifically mentioning the Special Victims Unit and citing the case number 24-81958 for reference.
