A Troubling Incident at a Local McDonald’s

A 35‑year‑old man from Portland has been charged with multiple bias‑crime offenses after an angry confrontation at a McDonald’s on March 18. Police say he approached a Hispanic patron outside the restaurant and demanded that the man perform 100 burpees. The confrontation quickly escalated when the suspect shouted at the victim, called him a “rapist, ” and accused him of stealing jobs. Footage taken inside the fast‑food outlet shows the same man later yelling racial slurs and pushing people around. A Black employee who was working at the location reported that the suspect struck an Asian customer on the head and shoved a Hispanic man into a wall. When staff tried to intervene, the suspect allegedly shouted another slur. Even after officers arrived and took him into custody, he continued to use hateful language toward the police.During questioning, the suspect told an officer that he “should have guns at home” because he was planning a one‑on‑one fight, and that the officer should understand his actions because “he’s white‑white. ” He also claimed he was not doing anything wrong. The suspect has pleaded not guilty to all charges. In addition to the McDonald’s incident, he faces a separate bias‑crime case from last summer. A homeowner told police that the suspect yelled slurs at her neighbor, broke a window with rocks, ran inside the house, stole a purse and a mop, and then got into her car. Those actions carry charges of bias crime, criminal mischief, theft, and unlawful entry into a motor vehicle. The suspect’s criminal record is extensive, with 11 misdemeanor convictions and five felony convictions. The case highlights ongoing concerns about hate‑based violence in public spaces and the importance of holding individuals accountable for their actions.