Man, 64, allegedly beaten by teen in Salem dies from injuries

A 64-year-old man severely kicked and beaten, allegedly by a teenager, in northeast Salem on June 29 died from his injuries on Monday.

Police identified the victim as Russell Mikolas.

Public records show Mikolas was a longtime resident in the Salem-Keizer area. Local advocates said Mikolas was homeless.

Jimmy Jones, executive director of the Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency, said Mikolas had been homeless in Salem for several years.

At about 4:30 p.m. on June 29, Salem Police officers were called to the 3900 block of Sunnyview RD NE just west of Lancaster after witnesses reported a young man punching and kicking a person who had been walking down the street.

Individuals who witnessed the incident stopped a teenager allegedly attempting to leave the scene, police said.

Mikolas was rushed to Salem Health with life-threatening injuries. He was later transported to a Portland-area hospital for further critical care. His name was withheld initially as police worked to notify his next of kin.

A 17-year-old male was arrested for allegedly assaulting Mikolas and has been held at the Marion County Juvenile Detention Department since June 29.

The Salem Police Department does not identify minors involved in criminal investigations.

The deadly assault marked another serious crime allegedly involving a teen this summer.

A deadly stabbing in May left a man dead at Salem Center mall and a 15-year-old in custody. A shooting the year before at the mall led to a deadly shootout with a 16-year-old suspect.

A stabbing outside the mall in June resulted in the arrest of three teens.

Jones said that in both Oregon and across the nation, vulnerable houseless men and women have been targeted for violence simply for the poverty of their condition.

"These assaults are often vicious and frequently are carried out by younger males under the age of 30 against older, physically weak and sick folks who cannot defend themselves," he said. "I know that the homeless issue is controversial in Oregon. But this violence is often connected to the common use of victim-blaming language."

He asked that elected officials, community leaders and the general public pause and think through their words when describing the homeless as criminals, addicts, and shiftless.

"Those words can have consequences for the largely elderly, disabled, and sick folks who live on our streets," he said.

For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodworth@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-910-6616 or follow on Twitter at @wmwoodworth

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Man, 64, allegedly beaten in Salem by teen dies from injuries