Man ‘threatens to bomb’ home for gay and HIV-positive people
Scott Wayne Smith
A man reportedly threatened to blow up a building which is home to gay people and those living with HIV in Portland, Oregon.
Scott Wayne Smith, 47, has been charged with one count of intimidation according to court documents filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court.
Residents at Hopewell Apartments in southwest Portland had called police to report that a neighbour had threatened to kill them, according to local news station Koin6.
The resident who called said he was sitting outside the building with a friend when Smith came up to them and asked for a cigarette.
The two men ignored Smith, knowing he had caused problems with residents previously, who then got upset and shouted a homophobic slur at them.
The building is home to people living with HIV (ESTHER LIM/AFP/Getty Images)
“A lot of times he’ll be out there skateboarding and shaking his head,” resident Donnie Blodgett told local news outlet Katu2.
“All kinds of weird stuff. Half naked, saying things like, ‘I’m gonna get you, set your house on fire.’”
Another resident added: “When I walked by the hedge where he lives, he was saying all kinds of hate stuff about [deleted slur], and they should all die. Just really awful stuff.”
Smith is set to appear in court in September.
Earlier this week, schools in an Oklahoma school district closed for a couple of days after threats to take a “good sharp knife” to a transgender 12-year-old girl sparked a security alert.
Achille Elementary School was closed
Police shut down schools in Achille, Oklahoma after threats emerged to a transgender student named as Maddie.
Messages had come to light in a Facebook group for parents of students, who had vented about Maddie being allowed to use the female bathroom.
They referred to the 12-year-old girl as “it,” “this thing,” “half baked maggot” and “the transgender,” and threatened to use a “good sharp knife” to slice her genitals.
Another suggested: “Just tell the kids to kick [her] ass in the bathroom and it won’t want to come back!”
Bryan County Sheriff’s Office shut down the school district while the issue was investigated, but the schools were permitted to re-open on Wednesday.
