Stabbing suspect attacks man on street, tells police he hates Muslims

A 47-year-old man accused of stabbing and biting his victim on the face reportedly told police that he did it because he hates Muslims, authorities said.

Kelvin Porter of Bloomington was charged Monday with second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon in connection with the March 24 attack.

The incident, which occurred in Minneapolis' Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, was captured by a Safe Zone security camera, said a criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County District Court.

Porter remains jailed in lieu of $50,000 bail. His criminal history, which dates to 1988, includes convictions ranging from disorderly conduct to domestic assault and damage to property.

According to police, Porter, the victim and another man were seen standing on a sidewalk near the corner of 19th and Riverside avenues when Porter began acting aggressively toward the victim, who briefly retreated into a nearby eatery. When the victim reemerged, the two men started arguing again.

The victim raised his fists to his chest and Porter lunged at him with a knife, stabbing him several times, police say. At one point, police say, he bit the victim in the face.

The victim's injuries, to his forehead, right ear, abdomen and left shoulder, were treated at the scene. A witness told police that Porter had made "gang-related comments" to the victim before the attack.

On his way to jail, Porter reportedly told police that he "tried to stab the Somalian in the neck" and "I hate Muslims," according to the complaint. Later, while being booked, he acted out the attack and yelled that he had tried to kill a Muslim by stabbing him in the neck, the complaint read.

On Tuesday the Council on American Islamic Relations called for state and federal hate crime charges to be leveled in the attack. In a statement, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said Minnesota Sentencing guidelines allow for an increased sentence where the crime is motivated by bias or hate.

"The time for seeking an enhanced sentence is later in the criminal proceedings and we will raise the motion at the appropriate time." the statement said.

Libor Jany • 612-673-4064 Twitter:@StribJany