A visit to one of Portland, Oregon's most cherished cultural landmarks turned into a degrading and frightening experience for a female customer who was the target of a shocking spitting assault.
A Sunday Outing Turns into a Nightmare
The incident occurred on Sunday evening inside the bustling café at the famous Powell's Books. The victim, who has asked to be identified only by her first name, Kate, was waiting for her husband after ordering a coffee. She had been browsing for books to help with her new job and to buy holiday gifts.
Kate explained that she first noticed a man staring at her intently from the risers in the crowded café. Initially dismissing it, her sense of unease turned to horror moments later. "I walked around the counter, and as I approached the pickup area, this man spat at me from about five feet away," Kate recounted. "It was very intentional - forceful. It was a shocking amount of spit, and it traveled quite far."
She believes the man was aiming for her face, but as her head was turned, the spit landed in her hair, leaving her in a state of complete shock.
The Chilling Aftermath and Police Investigation
Following the assault, the situation escalated further. The suspect did not flee but instead continued to stare directly at Kate, maintaining unbroken eye contact. He then repeatedly stated, "I have COVID," using the pandemic as a threatening weapon.
"To me, that was especially disturbing," Kate said. "COVID is not something to take lightly, and using it as a threat after degrading and menacing someone in front of dozens of people was just shocking."
Portland Police Bureau confirmed that officers responded to the downtown bookstore and are investigating the incident as a possible bias crime. The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 5ft 7ins tall, with light brown hair and a beard. He was reportedly wearing a stained white shirt and carrying a half-open black backpack containing a bottle of wine.
Criticism of the Store's Response and Bystander Inaction
Kate expressed profound disappointment with how Powell's Books staff handled the alarming situation. "Powell’s did nothing. There was no on-site security," she claimed. "No one to help de-escalate the situation or keep us safe. The employees shrugged it off as if things like that happen all the time."
She also highlighted the fear that persisted even after the man left the premises, as he threatened them with violence on his way out. Compounding her distress was the reaction—or lack thereof—from other patrons. "What shocked me too was the bystander effect," Kate noted. "There were over a dozen people—parents, families, children—and not a single person spoke up to help me."
In a statement, a spokesperson for Powell's offered a different account of their response. The store stated that their Operations Officers responded within two minutes of the assault being reported. The incident was logged at 4.39pm, and the individual was escorted out by 4.41pm without further incident.
The company confirmed that the man has been "permanently excluded" from the bookstore, in line with their standard safety procedures. They emphasised that the safety of guests and staff is of the utmost importance and that video footage of the incident has been provided to Portland police to aid their investigation.
