Portland police officials identified the man killed in an early Monday stabbing in the Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood as a 73-year-old man who lived nearby.
Kenny L. Housman was a self-appointed camping “sheriff” for his street, according to a September 2023 KATU-TV interview with Housman.
KATU reported Tuesday that a relative said Housman was trying to settle an argument between two homeless campers when one of them stabbed him in the throat.
According to the earlier KATU report, Houseman lived on Clinton Street and owned the entire block. He told the station that he would screen homeless campers. Once they gained his approval, he would provide them with support, according to the report.
On Monday, police officers responded shortly after midnight to the intersection of Southeast 136th Avenue and Clinton on reports that a person had been stabbed. When they arrived, officers found Housman, who died later at a hospital, police said in a statement.
Police initially said they had detained a suspect in connection with the stabbing but they said Tuesday that the person was released with no charges filed. The person is cooperating with the investigation, said police spokesperson Mike Benner.
Police released no other information.
Police ask anyone with information about the case to contact Detective J.D. McGuire at Jeff.Mcguire@police.portlandoregon.gov or Detective Brent Christensen at Brent.Christensen@police.portlandoregon.gov.—
-- Zaeem Shaikh covers the Portland Police Bureau and criminal justice issues for The Oregonian/OregonLive. Reach him at 503-221-4323, zshaikh@oregonian.com or @zaeemshake.
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