One of the victims in Wednesday’s stabbing in Northwest Portland was moving her tent when 38-year-old Victor Palmer-Regen, who lived in a nearby triplex, allegedly attacked her and a friend who had been helping her pack up.

Palmer-Regen was walking his dog when he “randomly started yelling” at them, the friend told police. Palmer-Regen then pepper-sprayed the man, according to court records.

But that was just the beginning. And now Mayor Keith Wilson, who has promised to open 1,500 shelter beds for homeless Portlanders by December, is pointing to the violence as another reason for his pledge.

“It highlights the urgent need for safe, secure and welcoming spaces where our unsheltered neighbors can find refuge during both the day and night,” Wilson said in a statement.

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