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Owner of a food cart called LoRell’s Chicken Shack in Portland, identified as Darell Preston sustained severe injuries in an assault that occurred on June 15.
The police are currently investigating the incident, which his family believes was unprovoked and possibly driven by racial motives.
According to a GoFundMe page created for Darell Preston, the incident took place on Foster Road in Southeast Portland while he was attending a phone call outside his food cart.
The assault was perpetrated by an unidentified assailant who unexpectedly attacked him from behind.
“He was blindsided by his attacker and repeatedly punched and stomped, suffering a broken nose, fractured face and lacerations to his eyes and mouth,” the GoFundMe, which was set up by Darell Preston’s brother-in-law, reads.
Posts on LoRell’s Chicken Shack social media pages by Preston’s family say they spoke with witnesses who claimed to have concerns the attack was racially motivated.
However, Portland Police Bureau spokesperson Lt. Nathan Sheppard told KOIN 6 News on Monday that no witnesses officers have spoken to have substantiated that claim so far.
“The primary officer made efforts to collect evidence, to include video, and detailed the incident in a police report,” Sheppard said. “Officers got a general suspect description from a witness and searched the area while the victim was being interviewed. No suspect was located … This isn’t being investigated as a hate crime since no elements of a hate crime [were] detailed to officers.”
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Preston’s family told KOIN 6 News that he was initially too injured to give police a full account of the incident.
However, the family says that they are scheduled to meet with a PPB officer on June 20 to provide a full report of the attack.
While Preston and his family wait for justice, Preston’s brother-in-law Marc McDonald has started a fundraiser for Preston’s recovery as the local restaurateur remains unable to run his business due to the severity of his injuries.
Set up on June 17 with an initial goal of raising $10,000, the GoFundMe page has already raised more than $30,000 as of Tuesday.
The family told KOIN 6 that they know the local community is requesting more information about the incident.
However, the Prestons said that they are waiting to speak with police before giving their full account of the attack due to possible safety concerns associated with the case.
“Darell and/or any of the businesses around don’t know if this was a random hate crime or if he was targeted,” the LoRell’s Chicken Shack social media page states. “At this point, he fears for his life. Please make this public, so that Darell and his family may find justice.”
