An individual was reportedly called a "tranny," assaulted and left stranded for hours at a riverbank in Boones Ferry Park Tuesday, July 7, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.
According to CCSO Sgt. Matt Swanson's reading of the police report (he was not on scene for the incident), the individual was eating a meal in the park when they were attacked by three individuals described as white male teenagers. The individual then escaped by swimming into the Willamette River.
After fleeing, the victim was caught in a fallen tree and struggled to stay above water, according to a Wilsonville Police Department Facebook post. The victim then shouted for help and a nearby resident called the police.
The incident reportedly occurred about 3 p.m. and police didn't receive a call until 5:47 p.m., Swanson said.
"The individual indicates they had been stranded for a couple hours. They reported they were cold and stuck in the mud at the riverbank," Swanson said.
A Wilsonville Police Department detective has been assigned to the active investigation.
"We think it may be a bias crime so we want to put our best foot forward on it," Swanson said.
The victim endured bumps and scrapes, was treated and then released at the scene, Swanson said.
Swanson said he would have more information tomorrow about the incident once he talked with officers who were at the scene, and he requested the public's help in identifying the perpetrators.
"We're working on getting further descriptions (of the attackers) and working with the victim to see what we can find out," he said.
