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https://www.foxnews.com/us/portland-woman-knocked-attacker-blames-city-slow-police-response-ourselves

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
Hannah Ray LambertBy 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.

"I do 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."

Portland woman bleeding after water bottle attack
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:
Surveillance video shows Portland woman attacked and knocked
unconsciousVideo
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.

"If we 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:
‘We’re on our own’: Portland woman says homeless man knocked her
unconsciousVideo
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."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

"I am 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.

"I absolutely 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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vandriver
5 hours ago

The citizens of Portland and Oregon did do this to themselves. I do not
have any sympathy for what they are now experiencing. Unfortunately, the
took the Conservatives with common sense along with the on their ride
through Pergatory. For the Conservatives, I do feel sympathy. For those
who didn't v...
vote, this is what happen when you leave the selection of your elected
officials to others. Be wiser next time.

annieb762
16 hours ago

I am a physician in the Baltimore area who works in the city. I am a
Republican, but virtually all of my colleagues are left-leaning, saying
we make too much money, we don 't pay enough taxes, climate change is
ruining the West Coast and the bay, etc. ( Maryland docs are among the
lowest paid in the nation, so while I am blessed tremendously, I am not
rich). Interestingly, the most conservative people I know are those who
work for the hospital-- techs, nurses, secretaries, etc. Go figure.

I am betting she voted for the party of O'Biden.

Antiana477
16 hours ago

I live in Portland so I know first hand what the situation is here and
how we arrived at it. But, first, I'd like to tell this lady that I'm
sorry this happened to her - it is outrageous! And I hope she fully
recovers quickly. My parents live in a senior living complex in this
same SW Portland area...
SW Portland area - they moved in 7 years ago, prior to the
Antifa/"houseless" epidemic of violence and crime that we have invited
here. An elderly gentleman who also lives in the same complex was killed
in this area by a "houseless" person with a steel pipe a year ago - also
unprovoked. It can happen anywhere, unexpectedly here now. Police saw
that attack underway, drove around the block to come back, but were too
late to save the elderly man.

Portland has enabled this behavior, providing free goods and services,
money, drug paraphernalia to them. They have legalized ALL drugs in
"personal quantities", and prosecute nearly nothing (Soros funded DA).
The police dept was defunded, of course, and a meek police chief
installed to run it. Nothing that happens here is surprising to me, but
it appears to be a full gobsmack to most Portlanders who continue to
vote in these same people who have been running this city and this state
for the past 30 years. But the problem is NOT the people who run
Portland or Oregon. The problem is the people who keep voting them into
office. I don't think Portlanders realize that either. And it's not
going to get any better for that reason.

jhujoeb
16 hours ago

And that's why at the age of 71 I have now bought 2 guns - if you can't
count on the politicians providing us with the police protection we need
and deserve, then we better be able to defend ourselves.