Overview
- Police say a 31-year-old man approached a family at Tom McCall Waterfront Park and grabbed a 7-year-old girl before bystanders and the parents stopped him during a struggle on Saturday evening.
- The girl's parents and nearby witnesses punched, slapped, and pulled the suspect free while one bystander used an irritant spray to make him release the child.
- Officers located the suspect swimming naked in the Willamette River, arrested him, and booked him on first- and second-degree attempted kidnapping, first-degree custodial interference, third-degree assault, and harassment.
- Paramedics treated the girl at the scene for minor scratches and did not transport her to a hospital; the family told police they were tourists visiting from Michigan.
- Portland officials say Central Precinct officers were tied up on other calls at the time, fueling public criticism over staffing and response times and leading to prosecutor review and requests for body-camera footage.