A Portland man has been arrested after biting a Black man and attempting to stab him with scissors.
Payton Thomas said he was visiting a friend on Saturday (February 10) when he noticed a man, identified as Corey A. Nesenson, lighting clothes on fire in Portland’s Old Town Neighborhood.
“About a third of the way into the block that we were on, he stopped and started lighting a fire,” Thomas said.
Nesenson then started to follow an interracial couple , attempting to attack them.
“Jogging after them, he was really trying to attack them,” Thomas said. “The guy thankfully turned around and looked and saw him; him and the female took off running.”
Nesenson then approached Thomas and his friend.
“By the time I looked up he was too close to me to put my hands out to stop him or punch him,” Thomas said. “The only thing I could do is resort to my military training and self-defense combat, and grabbed him and slapped him to the ground.”
The Portland Police Bureau said officers witnessed Nesenson cutting Thomas with scissors, biting him, and yelling racial slurs.