Tourists Face Nightmare as Naked Man Attacks Child in Portland Park

Clear Facts

• A naked man attempted to kidnap a 7-year-old tourist girl from her mother at Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland, Oregon on Saturday evening
• 31-year-old Daniel Vasey grabbed the child’s arm and lifted her off the ground during a violent struggle with her parents and bystanders
• Police were initially unable to respond to calls about the naked man due to being occupied with other incidents

A family vacation turned into a parent’s worst nightmare Saturday evening when a naked man violently attempted to abduct a 7-year-old girl from her mother at a Portland waterfront park. The incident highlights growing public safety concerns in Portland as officers struggle to respond to emergency calls.

Shortly before 7 p.m., Portland Police began receiving reports of a naked man running through Tom McCall Waterfront Park. One caller reported the man had attempted to punch them in the head.

Despite these alarming reports, police say all officers were occupied with other calls and unable to respond. The situation escalated 12 minutes later when another caller reported the suspect had grabbed a young girl and was attempting to pull her away from her mother.

Officers finally arrived at the scene and found the nude suspect swimming in the nearby Willamette River. The suspect was identified as 31-year-old Daniel Vasey.

According to investigators, Vasey grabbed the girl’s arm while her mother held the other arm, creating a tug-of-war that lifted the child off the ground. The girl’s father and multiple bystanders intervened, punching, slapping and pulling on the suspect until he released the child.

One bystander deployed pepper spray to keep Vasey away from other park visitors. The brave actions of the parents and good Samaritans prevented what could have been a tragic abduction.

The 7-year-old girl suffered scratches and was treated by paramedics at the scene but did not require hospital transport. The family told officers they were tourists visiting Portland from out of state.

Vasey was arrested and booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center. He faces charges of first and second-degree attempted kidnapping, first-degree custodial interference, third-degree assault and harassment.

The incident raises serious questions about public safety in Portland and police response times. The fact that officers were unable to respond to initial reports of a naked, aggressive individual for over 12 minutes—until a child was physically attacked—underscores the challenges facing law enforcement in the city.

For the visiting family, what should have been a pleasant evening at a scenic waterfront park became a traumatic encounter that required parents and strangers to physically fight off an attacker. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the deteriorating conditions in some urban areas that were once considered safe tourist destinations.

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