A 78-year-old man had part of his face chewed off during a gruesome attack in Portland. Koryn Kraemer, 25, attacked the victim at a train station in Gresham and bit the elderly man in the face. Kraemer recently moved to Portland from Georgia. It is still being determined by investigators on whether drugs played a role. Information has been put out that the assailant allegedly used fentanyl and marijuana before the attack.
The gruesome attack took place at the last stop of the Blue Line in Gresham. Authorities said the bite was so severe that police reported seeing the victim’s skull. When first responders arrived at the crime scene, they had to pull Kraemer off the victim’s body.
Detectives determined the man had his ear chewed off “and part of his face.” Officers removed Kraemer from the victim with force and the victim was taken to a hospital. He was sedated but in stable condition, according to reported information.
Investigators said the suspect initially gave his name as El Baker. Multnomah County jail staff later identified the man as Kraemer, who had recently moved to Portland from Georgia, an affidavit said. Kraemer told a detective he consumed alcohol, marijuana and fentanyl pills before the attack, according to the affidavit, and said he could tell by how the victim smelled that he was a robot. He also told police he spit the flesh onto the ground.
Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office statement:
“To create safe environments for transit riders, operators and employees, this month, the Transit Police Division is increasing its staff, by adding two full-time deputies, and increasing hours of operations. TPD is continuing to perform public safety missions at TriMet Transit Centers and platforms where the volume of calls for service are higher in order to deter and disrupt criminal activity.”
