Man Arrested, Suspected in Twisted Knife Attacks on Multiple Women

CORRECTION, Feb. 21, 2023: An earlier version of this story referenced a report that the suspect, Christopher Luchini, was linked to the Civil Liberties Defense Center and also reported that the suspect was linked to antifa. While the suspect does appear to support leftist ideas (link here), and while CLDC appears to openly support the “anti-fascist” movement (links here, here and here), it is unknown whether Luchini and CLDC are linked. In a retraction demand sent to The Western Journal, CLDC denies the link, though an aspiring journalist covering a CLDC fundraiser appears to have captured a photo of the suspect at the CLDC event. At this time, however, The Western Journal cannot confirm the authenticity of that photo. The article and its headline have been revised accordingly. Police in Portland, Oregon, have arrested a man with reported links to antifa in connection with several assaults on women. Christopher Luchini was arrested Tuesday at a grocery store where he works, according to a news release from Portland police. Police said the arrest capped an investigation into at least four assaults on young women that took place between Jan. 12 and Feb. 7. Police believed all the attacks were conducted by the same person. Three women were injured and required hospitalization, while the fourth escaped without injury. Police said that a search warrant served on Luchini’s property turned up evidence connecting him with the attacks. Luchini was charged with three counts of assault in the second degree, one count of attempted assault in the second degree and four counts of unlawful use of a weapon. The suspect was being held at the Multnomah County Detention Center. Police believe there could be more victims who did not report their attacks and are urging the public to contact them if they experienced an assault in the Central Eastside district of the city in the timeframe of the other attacks. According to the Post Millennial’s Andy Ngo, Luchini has connections to the Civil Liberties Defense Center, a legal group that has supported antifa activists.

Radical #Portland leftist Christopher Luchini has been arrested for allegedly carrying out a series of bladed attacks in Portland involving at least 4 victims. 3 women were slashed up. He is connected to #Antifa legal group @CLDC. https://t.co/XMbgShoBy4 https://t.co/qzM7rnvR5u pic.twitter.com/KgK1EWJLNv

— Andy Ngô 🏳️‍🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) February 15, 2023

The CLDC strongly disputed that, however. “Civil Liberties Defense Center has no connection to this person,” Marianne Dugan, senior staff attorney for the group, said in a Monday email to The Western Journal seeking a retraction. “The information from Mr. Ngo is false and defamatory. “The photo of the person in front of CLDC is not the arrested person (note the strategically cut off photo, not showing a face). The article with a photo of Mr. Luchini makes no connection between him and CLDC, and that article is from a high school newspaper. CLDC has no record of Mr. Luchini in our files, and there is no photo or information about him on our website.” A victim who was identified only by her first name of Tu-Nhi told KGW that she was attacked on the night of Jan. 30 after a yoga class. “He tapped me on the shoulder from behind. I think the knife was inside his sleeve, so he just kind of cut me down the shoulder,” she said. She said she needed stitches to close the four- to five-inch gash she suffered. “I’m pretty traumatized,” she said. Multnomah County lists Luchini as a member of its youth commission. “I believe we can make a positive difference in our community,” he said. “My goal is to be on the sustainability committee to work on Transit Justice and Environmental Justice Issues.” This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.