PORTLAND, Oregon — The man believed to have fatally attacked an elderly man was arrested for another unprovoked assault just two weeks prior. He was released and given a citation, according to court documents obtained by KGW.
Abel Nistor, 29, is facing multiple charges, including one count of attempted assault in the second-degree, two counts of assaults in the fourth degree and three counts for resisting arrest, according to court documents.
March 5 attack near Portland State University
Court documents say on or about March 5, Nistor unlawfully and intentionally physically harmed the victim, Scott Bennett. Portland State University Police responded to reports of an active assault that took place at Southwest 6th Avenue and Southwest Harrison Street, according to court documents.
A witness identified Scott Bennett as the victim who was assaulted and later identified Nistor as the man who assaulted Bennett. Officers contacted Bennett, who was seen with a busted lower lip that was still bleeding, according to court documents.
Bennett reported that he was on the Southeast corner of Southwest 6th Avenue and Southwest Harrison when he was approached by Nistor. Nistor then asked him if he "liked dogs." Bennett reported that he thought it was a strange question and tried to move away from Nistor.
According to Bennett, Nistor got closer to him, made kissing gestures and proceeded to sucker punch him. Bennett fell down, and Nistor then kicked him in the face; the victim was unsure how many times he was kicked but believed it was two or three times. Bennett was able to get on his feet when Nistor punched him. Bennett reported that he went to the hospital for his injuries, including his broken nose, the next day, according to court documents.
After punching and kicking the victim, Nistor walked onto 6th Avenue and walked south into oncoming traffic. It's reported that when an officer witnessed Nistor walking towards oncoming traffic, Nistor was asked to move out of the path of traffic, but he refused to comply. The officer said Nistor was talking about "mushrooms taking over the world and saying that war is good."
Officers tried to take Nistor into custody, but Nistor was strong and was able to pull away from officers to stay in the middle of the street. Another officer asked him what he wanted, and he told them he wanted to "fight everyone" and challenged the officers to fight.
An officer pulled out his taser and told Nistor that if he did not comply, he would be tased. Nistor removed his shirt and said, "I don't care. Bring more people." Nistor refused to comply with what the officers asked and was tased. He fell to the ground and resisted; multiple bystanders stepped in to help officers. Portland Police officers arrived and also assisted.
Nistor was eventually put in handcuffs, and medical responders gave him sedatives. He was taken to a hospital and was unconscious while he was admitted. He was later cited.
March 22 homicide on Portland's Eastbank Esplanade
On March 22, police responded just before 4:30 a.m. to a reported assault on Southeast Madison Street, in an area near Portland Fire and Rescue Station 21. When the officers arrived, firefighters and other members of the public had intervened in the assault. The Portland Police Bureau (PPB) said 70-year-old John Garcia died.
The suspect, Nistor, was taken to the hospital, then booked into Multnomah County Detention Center, police said. He is charged with second-degree murder, according to PPB.
It remains unclear if Nistor is also connected in the attack of a 73-year-old Asian man beaten with a stick while fishing at Portland's Eastbank Esplanade on March 12.
