Investigators found no evidence of prejudice, terrorism or political motivation after a driver rioted in southeastern Portland on Monday, killing one person and wounding nine others, police said on Tuesday.
The driver, who has not been identified, remains hospitalized and should be put in prison after his release.
The man is suspected of hitting people and cars in a series of pedestrians hit over 15 blocks on Monday afternoon. One victim died in a hospital hours later, and another nine were expected to survive.
The police did not specify what type of treatment or assessment the driver was receiving.
Police said the first report of an erratic driver came around noon, with the caller reporting that the driver was speeding and narrowly avoided hitting a pedestrian. About an hour later, the police received a report of a hit-and-run on 33rd Avenue and Pine Street, near Laurelhurst Park.
Officer Derek Carmon, a spokesman for the agency, said the police soon started receiving other calls about the same driver hitting other pedestrians and cars.
Carmon said the driver, who was on a silver Honda Element, hit people and cars from 33rd to 18th avenues along Stark, Pine, Washington and Belmont streets, sometimes reaching speeds of up to 96 km / h, according to witnesses.
The driver collided with his SUV and tried to flee the scene, but Carmon said a group of passers-by ran after him and surrounded him until the police arrived.
A crime scene map where a driver hit several pedestrians and cyclists on Monday, December 25, 2021.
The fatal accident unfolded in a horrible sequence described by a man who was supposed to meet the woman who was killed.
Larry Wolfe told The Oregonian / OregonLive that he saw the woman, who was in her 70s, being hit by a driver and screaming. He said he started walking towards her, then saw the driver come back and hit her again. The driver turned around and the car dragged the woman over a distance, Wolfe said.
Police said on Tuesday that the reason for the attack remains unclear.
“The detectives found no evidence that this was an act of terrorism. The detectives have not found any indicators of prejudice, nor do they believe that this is politically motivated, ”the authorities said in a statement. “Detectives say the driver’s actions showed an intention to hit and injure people.”
Portland police chief Chuck Lovell acknowledged the price the carnage caused in the community and thanked passers-by who intervened to help arrest the suspect after he fell and tried to escape.
“The multiple accidents with the same suspect yesterday were traumatic for our community,” Lovell said in a statement. “Thanks to the many community members who responded to help the victims and alerted the police to the suspect. We are committed to a thorough investigation so that the person involved can be held responsible for these senseless acts of violence. “
– Jim Ryan and the Oregonian / OregonLive team