The Portland Police Bureau is looking for information on victims of an attempted assault that occurred on Saturday afternoon, January 29, 2022, in the area of Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard and Southeast 35th Avenue.
A male suspect, who has now been identified as Nicholas Zeesta, was seen acting erratically along Hawthorne Boulevard earlier that day. A group of teenage girls were enjoying ice cream at an outdoor table when they were approached by Zeesta. As Zeesta got closer to the group of girls, he appeared to become more agitated by their conversation. Zeesta then attempted to strike the girls with a fire extinguisher he threw directly at the group. Fortunately, the girls were able to dodge the projectile. A witness at the scene was certain one of them would have been injured had the group not been successful in evading the fire extinguisher.
This attempted assault was part of several larger incidents involving Nicholas Zeesta. Portland Police Bureau’s Central Precinct Neighborhood Response Team (Central NRT) is working in partnership with Multnomah County District Attorney’s Strategic Prosecution and Services Unit to address Zeesta’s escalated criminal actions. There are unidentified victims of Zeesta’s crimes. If you or someone you know has been a victim of Nicholas Zeesta, please email crimetips@portlandoregon.gov – attention Central NRT.