Portland Man Charged After Alleged Bias Attack at McDonald’s, Claims He is “White-White”

A Portland man is facing multiple charges after prosecutors reported that he is accused of pushing, smacking, and yelling racial slurs at Black, Hispanic, and Asian employees and customers at a Northeast Portland McDonald's in March.

Identified as Etan Russel Leers, prosecutors say that he attacked multiple people at the fast food restaurant on March 18, on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The 35-year-old man is being charged with misdemeanor bias crimes, harassment, and misconduct. He has not pleaded guilty.

Witnesses told the police the situation escalated quickly. Employees shared that the customers ran out of the restaurant since they were scared, with many confirming that Leers shouted insults.

According to the court records, cited by KATU, Leers stormed towards a Hispanic man outside McDonald's, ordering him to do 100 burpees. He then began shouting, calling him “r**ist” and accusing him of taking up jobs in the U.S.

Police say that Leers attacked multiple groups and allegedly verbally attacked Hispanic men in the parking lot. Meanwhile, inside the restaurant, he called out a Black employee with a racial slur, smacked an Asian customer on the back of their head, and pushed a Hispanic man into the wall. According to Atlanta Black Star, the hit was so hard it shook the mounted menu screens.

However, as soon as the officers arrived, Leers denied doing anything wrong, and soon it took a strange turn. As per the affidavit, the accused told an officer that he should understand him because he was “white-white.” The officer did not compromise with him; hence, Leers threatened him too, saying that he would fight him one-on-one.

As a result, Leers was immediately arrested on the scene, and reportedly, this was not his first case. Prosecutors have shared that he is also facing another bias crime charge, dating back to June 2025. In the previous case, he was reported for yelling slurs at a person in Gresham, throwing rocks at a window, and breaking into a car. He was indicted by a Grand Jury on charges including theft, criminal mischief, and a bias crime. But he has pleaded not guilty to the 2025 case as well.

Leers is one of the many people who are contributing to the growing crime in Portland. Officials claim that bias crime is continuously rising in the city, with 55 recorded suspected cases in 2022, and the number increased to 164 in 2024. Data for 2025 is not yet available, but 120 were reported in the first three quarters.

Addressing the rise, police spokesperson Mike Benner said it could reflect better reporting. He believes outreach efforts have encouraged victims and witnesses to come forward and file complaints. Since 2023, officers have attended more than 120 community events to spread awareness.

District Attorney Nathan Vasquez also agreed with Benner’s statement. “This is a clear example of how, if you invest in an issue, you will see that the community will respond. I am also concerned by national and world events that will push and inflame some extremists, which will lead to more bias crimes,” Vasquez said.