MAX riders ‘feel safe’ despite fatal stabbing on train

Riders were aware of the Friday night stabbing on a MAX train

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Thousands of fans, both locals and tourists, took public transportation to the Moda Center Saturday one day after a stabbing on a MAX train left one man dead and another held for murder.

But that incident does not seem to deter the TriMet riders who spoke with KOIN 6 News.

Some, such as a woman who witnessed the arrest of Shondel Larkin in the moments after the stabbing Friday night, said she has seen a spike in crime over the last few years in the city. Others, who take the train several times a week for work, said it’s not unusual for incidents to happen on the transit.

“That’s happened before,” said Jennifer Keyser of Northwest Portland. “We’ve seen that, like the Hollywood station (where Jeremy Christian killed 2 people and critically wounded a third in 2017.) There’s a huge one. So there’s a lot going on and I’ve seen more security.”

More than 1 million riders used TriMet in February.

One of them, Nina Fortino, said TriMet is “the best part about living downtown. I mean, it’s just the convenience of having public transportation.”

She’s not overly concerned about Friday’s fatal stabbing.

“I’m not gonna just end up staying in my house all the time out of fear. I feel very safe. I sit in the front car close to the operator. no problem. I’ve never had a problem,” Fortino told KOIN 6 News.

Andrew Strohbeen, visiting from Seattle, heard about the stabbing but wasn’t worried.

“We’re taking the MAX back downtown to go to our hotel right now. It’s a little worrisome but it doesn’t happen too often,” Strohbeen said. “So you’re gonna put that behind us and just jump on the train.”

Bruce Palmer felt the same way.

“We felt very comfortable getting on the train at Sunset Transit Center. And there was a MAX security guy actually on the train,” Palmer said. “Felt very comfortable and there was no problem.”

Palmer said he stays observant. “Keep an eye on my surroundings. I don’t see a problem.”

Fortino’s friend said they don’t go out late at night. “I think (the MAX) stops about 11:30, midnight. So, I mean, the later gets more chances of something bad happening.”

But Nina Fortino is undeterred.

“It’s not going to stop me from taking the train. I just am not going to stop.”