Portland man stabbed to death trying to protect 'LGBTQ' friend

A Portland man was stabbed to death and a suspect has been charged with murder in what authorities are calling a bias hate crime incident.

The fatal stabbing occurred earlier this month outside the High Dive Bar in Southeast Portland when suspect Rahnique Usef Jackson, 24, allegedly stabbed 32-year-old Portland resident Colin Smith. Smith was reportedly stabbed after he intervened to protect his LGBTQ+ friend that was allegedly being harassed by Jackson.



Jackson was charged on Thursday by a Multnomah County grand jury on one count of second-degree murder, one count of unlawful use of a weapon, and one count of a second-degree bias crime, according to Oregonian. 

According to court documents, on July 2, Jackson allegedly harassed an LGBTQ+ person in Smith's group of friends when they were sitting at the bar's outside tables. Smith was allegedly fatally stabbed by Jackson when he tried to protect his friend from the harassment.

Smith was a beloved server at the Ox, a popular restaurant in Northeast Portland, according to the Oregonian.

Paulina Solis, Smith's ex-girlfriend, told the Oregonian that "Smith and his friends had been having trouble with Jackson after he inappropriately touched a member of their group and then began taking aim at a friend of Smith’s who is LGBTQ+."

Court records show that employees at the bar told investigators that Jackson was celebrating a birthday with some friends at the bar prior to the altercation. One of the bartenders had made a joke to Jackson about his lack of tipping, which employees believe to have put Jackson in a bad mood, according to records.

Employees said that he started harassing Smith's group when he exited the bar, court documents show.

Jackson's friends who were with him that night told investigators that they witnessed Jackson arguing with a group of people sitting outside the bar, which included Smith. They described Jackson as being "out of control and angry," according to court documents. Jackson's friends said that they observed Smith fall to the ground shortly after the altercation broke out.

Jackson fled the scene and was arrested by US Marshals on July 7, according to the Oregonian.

Jackson is scheduled to be arraigned on July 18.

Solis told the outlet that Smith died a hero.

"He was a protector," Solis said. "He died being the person that we all knew him to be."