PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A man accused of a deadly stabbing in South Portland on Easter Sunday has been arrested, the Portland Police Bureau announced Monday.
Radio Cab confirmed the victim was one of their long-time drivers who had picked up a customer in downtown Portland before the incident unfolded around 6:40 p.m. near Southeast Washington Street and Southeast Water Avenue.
The driver, who has not been publicly identified, was dead when officers arrived. In a release on Monday, Radio Cab called the driver “kind” and “dedicated.”
“He had been driving over a decade and never had a complaint,” a spokesperson from Radio Cab said. “He cared about Portland and loved this city and especially loved helping people get from one place to another. He was a model driver and an exemplary example of the people who have kept Radio Cab as a vibrant and desired place to work.”
Radio Cab said they’ve seen cab surveillance of the stabbing and told KOIN 6 News there was no provocation or fight before, saying the person who stabbed the driver did so unexpectedly.
“The person in the backseat attacked the driver, he never saw that coming, he was stabbed in the neck, the incident took his life very quickly,” said Darin Campbell of Radio Cab.
PPB detained Moses Lopez, 30, and later booked him into the Multnomah County Detention Center. He is facing second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon charges. Court records show he has an active felony warrant out of Coos County for alleged unlawful use of a weapon and menacing.
The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is urged to contact PPB Detective Shaye Samora at 503.823.0768 or by email at shaye.samora@police.portlandoregon.gov; or Detective Tony Harris at 503.823.0441 or by email at tony.harris@police.portlandoregon.gov.
The taxi company says they want to see more safety measures put in place to protect drivers throughout the city.
“This murder is a sure sign that Portland is in need of serious help,” Radio Cab added. “While our company is in mourning trying to make sense of this difficult loss, we ask our city leaders to do more to allow police to enforce laws, bolster the Portland Police Bureau resources and focus on the health of our citizens.”
Late Monday morning, Mayor Ted Wheeler took to Twitter to share his condolences.
“I want to extend my deepest sympathies to the family of the victim and the Radio City Cab team for this terrible loss. This incident was a disturbing tragedy,” Wheeler tweeted.
He added that he’s working with community safety partners to “bolster our public safety efforts as we head into warmer months.”