A man who allegedly hurled racial slurs and charged at a black Portland police officer has been charged with bias crimes, court documents show.
Steven James Betz, 57, was arrested Monday after allegedly threatening to shoot a black cop at a streetcar stop in southeast Portland, KPTV reported.
Two cops responded to the scene on reports of an irate man harassing multiple streetcar operators and riders, court documents obtained by the station show.
Betz was then found sitting on a bench at a Portland Streetcar stop, where he reportedly refused to leave.
But while officers were escorting him away, Betz turned on one of the cops, Officer Derrick Daley, The Oregonian reported.
When Daley asked Betz if he understood he was trespassing, Betz turned to the black officer, clenched his fist and told him “shut up,” followed by a racial slur, KPTV reported.
Betz then allegedly threatened to shoot Daley multiple times while making hand gestures mimicking a gun. He also charged at Daley multiple times, court documents show.
Steven James Betz was charged with a bias crime after yelling slurs at a Portland police officer. Joshua Rainey/Alamy Live News.Other cops at the scene told Betz to leave, but he refused and walked back to the streetcar station, where he was arrested. He again used racial slurs toward Daley, court documents show.
Multnomah County prosecutors sought a second-degree bias crime charge against Betz because he allegedly threatened serious injury to the officer due to his race. Daley joined Portland police in November 2019, according to The Oregonian.
Betz is also facing charges of second-degree disorderly conduct, second-degree criminal trespass, and interfering with public transportation, KPTV reported.
Attempts to reach Betz — who has been released on his own recognizance — were unsuccessful Thursday. It’s unclear if he’s hired an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
