Portland homeless man charged with assault after allegedly sucker punching a child in the face, says ‘I want to go back to prison’

Portland police said that on Sunday, the suspect approached a mother and her young son after they exited the Tin Shed cafe and "without provocation" forcefully punched the boy in the face, local news report.

Spencer allegedly closed his fist and swung it at the boy, connected with the child's forehead, and the force propelled the boy fully into the air. The child landed backward and his head struck hard on the sidewalk. Local Portland residents restrained the suspect after the strike until police arrived.

"I want to go back to prison," a witness claimed they heard Spencer say. The homeless man is currently at the Multnomah County Jail after he was booked and arrested on March 20 for disorderly conduct, reckless endangerment, and assault.

Currently no bail has been set for Spencer, who has a felony record with prior sodomy and sex abuse convictions.

The boy told authorities he was "okay" after the punch.

According to local news he had a "lump on his forehead and was sore from falling on the sidewalk."

Crime in Portland has skyrocketed in recent years and the city surpassed its all-time record for murders in November 2022 after its 93rd homicide. The previous record was from 2021 with 90 homicides.

Portland has also wrestled with a homeless crisis and homelessness has skyrocketed 50 percent since 2019.