PORTLAND, Ore. — Muslims in Portland, Ore., thanked the community for its support and said they were raising money for the families of two men who were killed when they came to the defense of two young women — one wearing a hijab — who were targeted by an anti-Muslim rant.
"I am very thankful as a Muslim, I am very thankful as a Portlander … that we stand together here as one," said Muhammad A. Najieb, an imam at the Muslim Community Center.
He said the two young women "could have been the victims, but three heroes jumped in and supported them."
Najieb said a fundraising page launched by his group for the families of the dead men, a surviving victim and the two young women had raised $50,000 in its first hours.
Police said they'll examine what appears to be the extremist ideology of suspect Jeremy Joseph Christian, 35, who is accused of killing the two men Friday. Christian's social media postings indicate an affinity for Nazis and political violence.
Christian was being held on suspicion of aggravated murder, attempted murder, intimidation and being a felon in possession of a weapon. He was arrested a short time after the attack when he was confronted by other men.
Alvin Hall said had just stepped off the train on Friday when he saw a man bleeding from the neck, KATU-TV reported. Hall said his instincts kicked in and he went after the suspect.
"My first process was, 'What can I do? Where did he go?' and someone said, 'He ran over to the bridge,' " Hall said. "So I just took up running from the bridge up the stairs."
He said he met Chase Robinson and Larry Blackwell, and the three men confronted the suspect, who turned on them with a knife.
"The minute he saw me he started coming after me. He's like, 'You want some of me, you're a snitch, come on after me, you want some of this?' and started chasing me," Hall said.
Soon, police arrived and took the suspect into custody.
Police identified the men killed as Ricky John Best, 53, of Happy Valley, Ore., and Taliesin Myrddin Namkai Meche, 23, of Portland.
Police say Micah David-Cole Fletcher, 21, of Portland was also stabbed and is in serious condition at a Portland hospital. Police say his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
Mayor Ted Wheeler said Best was an Army veteran and a city employee.
The FBI said it's too early to say whether the slayings qualify as a federal hate crime.