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82-year-old man dies after unprovoked attack in downtown Portland

Donald Pierce died at the hospital on July 7, Portland police said. The other victim, an 88-year-old man, was seriously injured and treated at the hospital.

PORTLAND, Ore. — Editor's note: The video above originally aired on June 27, 2022.

One of the two men in their 80s who were assaulted in downtown Portland in late June has died, according to police. 

Donald Pierce, 82, died at the hospital on July 7, Portland police said. A medical examiner conducted an autopsy and determined Pierce died by blunt trauma. 

The other victim in the attack, an 88-year-old man, was seriously injured and treated at the hospital. He has been released and police have not publicly identified him.

On June 25, officers were responding to an unrelated call at Southwest 5th Avenue and Southwest Hall Street, near the Portland State University campus, when they came across an assault in progress. The suspect, 29-year-old Keffer White, was repeatedly punching and kicking the two men, police said. The officers arrested White and the two men were taken to the hospital.

RELATED: Man arrested for unprovoked attack on 2 men in downtown Portland has lengthy criminal history

Credit: Portland Police Bureau
Donald Pierce, 82, died at the hospital on July 7. He was one of two men who were attacked in downtown Portland on June 25.

According to witnesses and video evidence, the attack was unprovoked and White continued to assault the men after they fell to the ground.

White was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on two counts of second-degree assault and an outstanding warrant. Police said additional charges are pending. 

Court documents show that White has a long criminal history, including 22 parole violations, and four felony and three misdemeanor convictions that extend back 10 years. The convictions include incidents in Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties.

Prior to the June assault, he was most recently charged in January with one count of unauthorized use of a vehicle and one count of possession of a stolen vehicle. The court case is still ongoing. Court documents state that White is homeless. A mental health assessment states that he is diagnosed as bipolar and suffers from panic attacks.

Anyone with information about the incident on June 25 who has not already spoken to investigations is asked to contact Detective Jennifer Hertzler at Jennifer.hertzler@portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-1040 and reference case number 22-169912.

RELATED: Why the man accused of violently attacking an Asian family in Portland got out of jail the same day he was arrested

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