Muslim Hate Crime? Minnesota Man Stabs And Bites Stranger Over Religion

When asked why he stabbed and bit a stranger on a Minnesota street corner Friday night, 47-year-old Kevin Porter told police: “I hate Muslims.”

Porter was charged Monday with second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon for the incident which, according to a criminal complaint, was caught on a police security camera, the Star Tribune reported.

The altercation began, said police, when Porter started making slashing motions toward another man. A witness later said that Porter had also made gang-related comments.

After the victim briefly ducked into a nearby café, he reemerged and the two men recommenced their argument. When the victim raised his fists to his chest, Porter lunged at him with a knife, attempting to stab him in the neck and shoulder, reported Fox9 in Minnesota. During the altercation, Porter is also said to have bitten the victim in the face.

When police attended to the victim, he was found with cuts on his forehead and ear and abrasions on his abdomen and shoulder.

The altercation ended when a third person intervened by throwing a trash can at Porter, allowing the victim to break free and flee the scene.

Porter was soon taken into custody, but not before telling police, “I tried to stab the Somalian in the neck” and “I hate Muslims.” He also yelled that he tried to kill a Muslim by stabbing him in the neck, according to the complaint.

Porter, who has several previous convictions, including for domestic assault, failed to post bail of $50,000. If convicted, he could face up to seven years in prison or a $14,000 fine.

Hate crimes targeting Muslims rose by 67 percent in 2015, according to FBI data. In a soon-to-be-published report, the Council on American-Islamic Relations has said it will detail a more than 40 percent increase in hate crimes against Muslims from 2015 to 2016 and a more than 50 percent spike in incidents of anti-Muslim bias over the same period.