True Crime
If you use mass transit as a main mode of transportation, you have likely seen the whole spectrum of human behavior. Much of the time commuting by train or bus is routine – the mundanity interrupted by small annoyances like a jostle from a fellow passenger or someone talking too loud on their phone. Other times the daily grind is broken up by witnessing incredible acts of human kindness or the unease of someone experiencing a mental health crisis. Rarely is the daily commute disrupted by a shocking act of violence that leaves two people dead and another critically wounded. But that is what happened on May 26, 2017 when three bystanders intervened to try to stop a man who was verbally assaulting two teenage girls on a crowded car of the Max Light Rail in Portland Oregon. In just a few short minutes, an act of bravery and kindness by three men would end in devastation. Much of the event would be captured in clear detail by surveillance cameras on the train and on video by multiple witnesses. It is an incident that would forever scar all of those that bore witness to the vicious attack, those that rushed forward to lend aid to the injured and the dying, and one that would weigh heavily on the heart of the city. Darklands is bi-weekly podcast available on apple podcasts, google play, stitcher, and pod bean. A starred review would be greatly appreciated. Sources for this episode: https://darklandspodcast.podbean.com/p/sources-1589780769/ Darklands logo: Jeffrey Francoeur Episode Music: Xylo-Ziko, “Phase 2” from Minimal Darklands is a FridaPants production. Email: darklandspodcast@gmail.com