PORTLAND, Ore. (KPTV) – A Portland man is recovering after being stabbed more than a dozen times after winning the jackpot on a video lottery game.
“We heard banging. We heard furniture. We heard shouting. We heard some kind of argument. So I decided to smoke a cigarette and it was during the second cigarette that the stabbing happened,” said a neighbor who wished to remain anonymous.
According to court documents, a man was at Montana’s Bar in Southeast Portland on Saturday night where he won $2,000 on a video lottery machine. There he met 61-year-old Pablo Figueroa. Figueroa allegedly followed him home to the Wy’East Plaza Apartments on SE Ash St. and slipped through the security gate. Video allegedly shows Figueroa breaking down the apartment door, approaching and striking the man. The victim then gave him cash and Figueroa allegedly stabbed him 15 times with a pocket knife.
Another neighbor who called 911 said she saw her neighbor and his girlfriend covered in blood.
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“All over his head, in his ears, his neck, his arms, his stomach and his legs,” the neighbor said. “He didn’t look like a good friend of mine.”
According to court documents, police found the suspect in the complex’s trash room and the knife in a cat litter box in the apartment.
The property owner made the following statement:
“The safety of our residents is REACH’s top priority. We are deeply concerned about this incident and are working closely with authorities to support the affected resident. In addition, we are providing access to counseling services to ensure all residents feel supported during this time. We appreciate residents taking extra precautions to keep our community safe by being aware of their surroundings when entering and exiting the secured building. We also ask everyone to ensure all doors are securely locked behind them to prevent unauthorized entry. Together, we can continue to protect and support our shared community.”
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Figueroa has a long criminal history dating back to 2021. He has been charged with auto theft and has been summoned four times for failure to appear in court. He has also been charged with identity theft and has been summoned eight times for failure to appear in court, including on Friday, August 16, the day before the alleged stabbing.
“He’s a dangerous, bad guy,” said one neighbor. “I can relax about what’s happening in the neighborhood because without him here, we don’t have so many problems.”
Figueroa is being held without bail on several charges, including attempted murder, and is due back in court on August 27.
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