Topline: A bystander filming an argument outside a downtown Portland apartment building suffered repeated stab wounds to his back after trying to flee.
Published: October 4, 2026 11:34 am ET
Shawn Fletcher
Committed to the craft of journalism and am driven by my desire to inform and inspire.
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Russell Szkolnyj (via NC State Bureau of Investigation)
PORTLAND, OR — A 57-year-old man faces attempted murder and assault charges after allegedly stabbing a bystander who filmed him during an argument outside a downtown apartment building.
Russell Joseph Szkolnyj is accused of second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon, according to court records detailed by The Oregonian/OregonLive. The September 25 attack left doctors concerned about possible lung and kidney injuries.
Court records describe Szkolnyj instigating confrontations with tenants outside Hamilton West Apartments, at 1212 Southwest Clay Street. A man began recording an altercation between Szkolnyj and another person.
After noticing the recording, Szkolnyj allegedly threatened to kill the man and moved toward him. The man tried to escape but slipped and fell. Prosecutors allege Szkolnyj stabbed him in the back at least three times, then fled.
Responding officers found the victim covered in blood and saw blood bubbling from wounds in his back, a sign they believed could indicate a punctured lung. Court records describe him as apparently stunned and unaware of how badly he had been hurt until emergency responders explained his injuries.
Medics transported him to a hospital. Police subsequently learned that doctors were concerned the stabbing had caused collapsed lungs and a punctured kidney. Those injuries were described as suspected, not confirmed. The victim had not been publicly identified, and his current condition was unknown when OregonLive published its October 1 report.
Officers located Szkolnyj nearby and arrested him. He remained in custody as of that report.
OregonLive also reported a 2018 second-degree theft conviction and, citing court records, a 2006 conviction in North Carolina involving a sexual offense against a child.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Portland Man Accused of Stabbing Bystander Who Filmed Him
A bystander filming an argument outside a downtown Portland apartment building suffered repeated stab wounds to his back after trying to flee.
By Shawn Fletcher
Published: October 4, 2026 11:34 am ET
Russell Szkolnyj (via NC State Bureau of Investigation)
PORTLAND, OR — A 57-year-old man faces attempted murder and assault charges after allegedly stabbing a bystander who filmed him during an argument outside a downtown apartment building.
Russell Joseph Szkolnyj is accused of second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon, according to court records detailed by The Oregonian/OregonLive. The September 25 attack left doctors concerned about possible lung and kidney injuries.
Court records describe Szkolnyj instigating confrontations with tenants outside Hamilton West Apartments, at 1212 Southwest Clay Street. A man began recording an altercation between Szkolnyj and another person.
After noticing the recording, Szkolnyj allegedly threatened to kill the man and moved toward him. The man tried to escape but slipped and fell. Prosecutors allege Szkolnyj stabbed him in the back at least three times, then fled.
Responding officers found the victim covered in blood and saw blood bubbling from wounds in his back, a sign they believed could indicate a punctured lung. Court records describe him as apparently stunned and unaware of how badly he had been hurt until emergency responders explained his injuries.
Medics transported him to a hospital. Police subsequently learned that doctors were concerned the stabbing had caused collapsed lungs and a punctured kidney. Those injuries were described as suspected, not confirmed. The victim had not been publicly identified, and his current condition was unknown when OregonLive published its October 1 report.
Officers located Szkolnyj nearby and arrested him. He remained in custody as of that report.
OregonLive also reported a 2018 second-degree theft conviction and, citing court records, a 2006 conviction in North Carolina involving a sexual offense against a child.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Portland Man Accused of Stabbing Bystander Who Filmed Him
A bystander filming an argument outside a downtown Portland apartment building suffered repeated stab wounds to his back after trying to flee.
By Shawn Fletcher
Published: October 4, 2026 11:34 am ET
Russell Szkolnyj (via NC State Bureau of Investigation)
PORTLAND, OR — A 57-year-old man faces attempted murder and assault charges after allegedly stabbing a bystander who filmed him during an argument outside a downtown apartment building.
Russell Joseph Szkolnyj is accused of second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon, according to court records detailed by The Oregonian/OregonLive. The September 25 attack left doctors concerned about possible lung and kidney injuries.
Court records describe Szkolnyj instigating confrontations with tenants outside Hamilton West Apartments, at 1212 Southwest Clay Street. A man began recording an altercation between Szkolnyj and another person.
After noticing the recording, Szkolnyj allegedly threatened to kill the man and moved toward him. The man tried to escape but slipped and fell. Prosecutors allege Szkolnyj stabbed him in the back at least three times, then fled.
Responding officers found the victim covered in blood and saw blood bubbling from wounds in his back, a sign they believed could indicate a punctured lung. Court records describe him as apparently stunned and unaware of how badly he had been hurt until emergency responders explained his injuries.
Medics transported him to a hospital. Police subsequently learned that doctors were concerned the stabbing had caused collapsed lungs and a punctured kidney. Those injuries were described as suspected, not confirmed. The victim had not been publicly identified, and his current condition was unknown when OregonLive published its October 1 report.
Officers located Szkolnyj nearby and arrested him. He remained in custody as of that report.
OregonLive also reported a 2018 second-degree theft conviction and, citing court records, a 2006 conviction in North Carolina involving a sexual offense against a child.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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