PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — It’s rare to hear from the family of an accused murder suspect. But Donald Christian has a reason for doing so: he wanted to share what his son, Jeremy — accused of stabbing three people at a MAX station last year and killing two — used to be like, hoping that his son’s past can show a different side of him.
Although he didn’t want to be interviewed on camera, Donald gave KOIN 6 News a look at his son’s past, who is set to stand trial in June 2019.
When Jeremy was younger, he was like every other kid — obsessed with comic books, his father said. He would hang out with his friends and he didn’t really get in trouble.
That’s not the Jeremy Christian we know today. The one the public knows is portrayed through mugshots and caught-on-camera rants, like a few seen over time in the courtroom.
“Death to the enemies of America,” he said during a court appearance. “Leave this country if you hate our freedom.”
Another time he said, “you call it terrorism, I call it patriotism. You hear me? Die.”
And finally, “Free speech or die, Portland. You got no safe place. This is America. Get out if you don’t like free speech.”
That’s who Jeremy Christian has become. It’s someone Donald no longer recognizes.
Court records show that Jeremy was drinking a bag of wine on the day of the attacks. His psychologist said Jeremy was also high that day and described him as someone who didn’t have control of his emotions.
But that day wasn’t the first time Christian went off on a tirade. KOIN 6 News obtained video of Christian ranting at a free speech rally in Portland and ranting on a MAX train on a different day.
Donald told KOIN 6 News his son’s story is much more complicated than we know. His younger innocence changed after spending years in prison. He hopes that someone will understand.