What started as a late-night ride on North Portland’s MAX line turned into a violent robbery that ended with a rider thrown onto the tracks and five young suspects in handcuffs, prosecutors say.
According to court papers and security footage, a group surrounded a man on the North Lombard Transit Center platform, attacked him, and hurled him down onto the tracks before stealing his backpack. Later that night, Portland officers stopped a vehicle in north Portland and detained several occupants who are now accused of being behind the platform assault and a quick run of convenience store thefts.
The suspects are identified in court documents as Anthony Coate, 20; Keyshawna McClendon, 19; Lonnie Wrisley, 19; Neveah Seeger, 19; and Javion Johnson, 18. Prosecutors say Coate and Johnson remain in custody on five counts of robbery each, along with additional charges including assault, coercion, and unlawful use of a weapon. McClendon and Seeger were released after arraignment, while Wrisley posted bail. Seeger allegedly admitted taking part in the MAX platform attack, and prosecutors say Coate warned a store worker he would “come back and shoot him” if they “snitched,” according to KATU…