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Man stabbed outside Salem homeless center; suspect at large

A man was hospitalized and his attacker remains at large following a stabbing outside the ARCHES Project day center Sunday morning.
Credit: Michaela Román / STATESMAN JOURNAL
The ARCHES Project on Friday, Nov. 16, 2018 in Salem.

A man was hospitalized and his attacker remains at large following a stabbing outside the ARCHES Project day center Sunday morning.

Two men were involved in an altercation outside the homelessness center in north downtown Salem, which is closed on Sunday.

Officers responded to the scene at 6:45 a.m. and found the victim bleeding from stab wounds, said Salem police spokesman Lt. Michael Bennett.

Bennett said the man was taken to Salem Hospital and his condition was unknown as of Sunday afternoon.

Detectives are working to identify the suspect, who remains at large.

Jimmy Jones, director of the ARCHES Project, said the center is not open on weekends and no staff members were present during the attack.

Jones declined to comment extensively on the stabbing until more facts are known, but he voiced concern about the escalating violence at some of the camps near downtown and Wallace Marine Park.

"Many of us who work with the homeless have had grave concerns about the concentration of so many of the highest needs homeless population in such a high-density camp," Jones said. "Over the last six months, we have seen that camp grow with an influx of outsiders that have challenged the traditional rule systems in Wallace and the downtown."

He said the influx had made this particular area more violent and more dangerous than it was just a year ago.

Homeless in the community "live in a state of constant danger," Jones said, from violence, drugs and alcohol, untreated mental health conditions, rain and sub-freezing weather and high barriers to food, medicine and hygiene.

"We lose more and more each year, often at shockingly young ages," he said.

For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodwort@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-399-6884 or follow on Twitter @wmwoodworth

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