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Digital Originals Published August 2, 2023 6:30pm EDT

Portland woman knocked out by

attacker blames city for slow police
response: ‘We did this to ourselves’
Portland woman says homeless man knocked her unconscious in unprovoked attack

By Hannah Ray Lambert , Ramiro Vargas | Fox News

‘We’re on our own’: Portland woman says homeless man knocked her unconscious
A Portland doctor knocked unconscious while walking in the city says her attack highlights ongoing problems with homelessness, mental illness and police
shortages.

A Portland doctor said a homeless man knocked her unconscious while walking in the city,
and then she waited more than 20 minutes without a police response.

"Ido not hold the police accountable for this at all — I hold our city accountable for
defunding the police," Mary Costantino, a radiologist, told Fox News. "We don't have
enough police force to protect our citizens, and we did this to ourselves."

Mary Costantino was attacked while walking in Southwest Portland with a friend Friday, July 28. She said she waited about
20 minutes for police before giving up and going home. (Courtesy Mary Costantino)

CRIME TURNED PORTLAND INTO A ‘HOLLOWED OUT SHELL.’ ITS NEIGHBORS ARE
TRYING TO KEEP IT FROM HAPPENING TO THEM

The attack happened shortly after 10:30 Friday night. One minute, Costantino was walking
in Southwest Portland with a friend. The next, she woke up on the ground, blood pouring
out of her mouth. She was sure she was about to be killed and immediately dialed 911.

"I thought we were still being sort of attacked in some way," Costantino said. "I was like,
'I'm going to just try to verbalize a report of what's happening, so there's some record of
how I died.'"

As the situation cleared, Costantino realized she was not dying. She had been struck in the
face by an aluminum water bottle hurled by a man, she said. There had been no yelling, no
sign of danger to give Costantino time to defend herself. She credits her friend with saving
her from further harm.

"He said that the perpetrator … was still coming towards me," she said. "And he turned
around and really aggressively yelled at him and the guy ran away."

"Had it not been for this person being with me, it would have, I think, been a lot worse,"
Costantino added.

CHILLING VIDEO SHOWS PORTLAND

WOMAN ATTACKED, KNOCKED
UNCONSCIOUS:

WATCH MORE FOX NEWS DIGITAL ORIGINALS HERE

A spokesperson for the Portland Police Bureau confirmed the incident, telling Fox News in
an email that TriMet surveillance video "captured what appears to be the unprovoked and
brutal attack." Officers were dispatched at 10:55 p.m. — about 20 minutes after Costantino
says she was struck — and arrived at the scene eight minutes after that, according to
Sheppard.

By then, Costantino had already given up and gone home.

"Ifwe don't have police officers to come to the side of somebody who is under attack, then
we're all on our own," Costantino said.

Her situation is not unusual. Portlanders have faced increasingly long police response
times for years. The average for a high-priority call was 23.7 minutes in July, according to
PPB data the longest wait in more than a decade.
,

"Our goal is always to help as much as we can, as quickly as we can. But with our staffing
being at historic lows, this has become a challenge for us," Lt. Nathan Sheppard told Fox
News in an email.

‘WE’RE ON OUR OWN': PORTLAND WOMAN

SAYS HOMELESS MAN KNOCKED HER
UNCONSCIOUS:

OREGON LAWMAKERS 'LOVING HOMELESS TO DEATH' BY THROWING MILLIONS IN

FUNDING AT CRISIS, LOCAL OFFICIAL SAYS

"At the time this call came in, our officers were actively on 26 calls throughout the city," he
wrote. "There were 0 free officers and another 52 calls holding."

The bureau has about 80 sworn vacancies, down from more than 100 in September .

"Our officers joined the Police Bureau to help people, and when they are unable, it takes a
toll," Sheppard wrote. "We’re continuing to hire, so there’s definitely hope, and things WILL
get better."

"Iam heartbroken that my dear friend Mary was so badly hurt," said Kristin Olson an ,

outspoken critic of Oregon politics who first shared Costantino’s story on her podcast,
"Rational in Portland." "Portlanders have a right and a reasonable expectation to peacefully
move about this city without fear that they will be assaulted as they walk down the street."

Costantino said seeing the deterioration of public safety in Portland "100%" changed her
voting habits.

"Iabsolutely did not vote for Jo Ann Hardesty," she said, referring to a previous city
commissioner who supported defunding the police in 2020. In the governor’s election, she
cast her vote for Republican Christine Drazan.

To hear more from Costantino, click here .

Hannah Ray Lambert is an associate producer/writer with Fox News Digital Originals.

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