PORTLAND, Oregon — The man killed Thursday morning in Southeast Portland's Hosford-Abernathy neighborhood was identified Saturday as Traves D. Barisich, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) reported. He was 46 years old.
Barisich died of blunt force trauma, the medical examiner determined after an autopsy. Barisich's family released a photo of him for public release.
Early Thursday morning, officers found Barisich dead after responding to a reported assault in the area of Southeast 26th Avenue and Southeast Caruthers Street around 4:24 a.m. Portland police said they were investigating his death as a homicide.
Portland police also confirmed to KGW that Barisich's death was the first homicide in Portland in exactly a month. The last one was back on Aug. 28.
No one was immediately arrested — the suspect, or suspects, left the area before the officers arrived. Portland police did not release a suspect description. On Saturday, PPB said the case remains under investigation.
The Portland Police Homicide Unit is investigating the homicide. Officers closed Southeast Division Street between Southeast 25th Avenue and Southeast 27th Avenue during the investigation, Portland police said.
'A shock to me': Neighbor disturbed by violence
The violence caught many who work and live nearby by surprise, including Paige Luttrell.
"It constantly is just like a shock to me when this stuff happens here. Because this is where families live, there's a school right behind me, you know? Children walk the streets," Luttrell said.
Luttrell has called Portland home for the past nine years. She's lived off Southeast 26th and Division for the past four. But she adds that things have drastically changed since first moving here.
"That's what I've noticed is the huge difference. Of what was really magical about Portland, I just don't feel that any more at all," Luttrell said. "And I feel like I came to Portland like right as that shift was happening, but I did get to experience the glory that is Portland."
Luttrell said she saw a huge change in public safety around the start of the pandemic. She thinks it has only gotten worse.
"I love Portland for everything it is, but when it's starting to feel like you can't even be safe in the suburban outskirts, then that's when it gets to be a problem for me," she said.
"Are you planning to move out of here because of this?" asked KGW’s Daisy Caballero.
Luttrell nodded her head, "Yes."
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