Portland police are investigating two potential bias crimes after two residents on the same Southeast Portland street found Molotov cocktails in their yards, and one of them reported getting intimidating text messages about their sexual orientation.
Police said one resident found the Molotov cocktail, a bottle filled with flammable liquid, in their yard Monday, and another person made a similar report Tuesday. Both residents live in the 3900 block of Southeast 104th Avenue. Both times, arson investigators responded to the scene.
The second person who reported finding the device said after police had cleaned up the scene, the resident received intimidating text messages from the alleged suspect who placed the device. The messages, which were from a number the victim did not recognize, said the victim was targeted because of their sexual orientation.