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SUNNY Temp: 53 °F Wind: SSW at 19 mph Friday, April 25, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend January 17, 2003 Police look for two men after string of assaults The beatings and menacing were carried out amid declarations of ‘white pride’ By ANITA BURKE Mail Tribune Medford police are looking for possible white supremacists they believe are involved in a string of assault and intimidation cases. Over the past week, two young men have attacked a homeless man twice and chased a group of black teenagers while professing "white pride." One of the men has showed a gun in the incidents, police said. Medford police Detective Terry Newell said local police try to stay aware of groups with racist ideologies, as the city has had problems with white supremacists and skinheads in the past. The most recent surge in racially motivated crimes was in the early 1990s. "For several years we haven’t had much in the way of racist crimes," Newell said. "We don’t know if these guys are local or newcomers. When we contact them, we can learn more about their ideology." The first in the recent string of attacks was reported to police Jan. 10, said Detective Justin Ivens. A homeless white man flagged down an officer about 2 a.m. near Hawthorne Park. He said he had been sprayed with pepper spray and beaten by two men who claimed to have "white pride" and said they were beating him because he was a disgrace to his race. The officer took a report and took the man to Rogue Valley Medical Center, where he was treated for a cut on his head, bruised ribs and loosened teeth, then released. On Monday at about 11:30 p.m., police got a report of a verbal confrontation between three young black men and several young white men at the Thrifty Nifty Market at 223 W. Jackson St. The white men again cited "white pride" and one showed a gun. Both groups got into cars and the group of white men chased the others to the Medford Center. There, the pursuit continued on foot, until two of the black men sought protection inside 24-hour Fitness and the other called 911 while being chased down Jackson Street. Police were unable to find the assailants, but hours later received a report of a homeless man bleeding badly near Toys ‘R’ Us on Biddle Road. Police found it was the victim of the Jan. 10 assault. The victim said the same two men had accosted him again when he was walking south on Biddle near Superior. He told police that his attackers said they were angry that he had contacted police. They again sprayed him with pepper spray and dragged him down an embankment to an irrigation ditch near Interstate 5. They then beat him with a wooden club, again talking about white pride and disgrace to his race, police reports said. He was taken to Rogue Valley Medical Center, where doctors said his injuries were consistent with being hit with a board or club, Ivens said. The man had numerous stitches and staples to close wounds on his face and may have broken facial bones, Ivens said. The victim remained hospitalized Thursday. Wednesday, the investigation took a curious turn when two of the young black men who had been chased were arrested near South Medford High School on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm. Police spotted them cruising the area, made a traffic stop, and discovered a .38 caliber revolver and a .22 caliber semi-automatic handgun in the car. Clinton Taylor, 18, of Central Point, was lodged in the Jackson County Jail and his 15-year-old passenger was cited and referred to Jackson County Juvenile Services, police said. Newell, who made the traffic stop, said police were concerned Taylor and his friends were seeking retribution for the earlier incident, though they denied it. "We think these are all tied in," Ivens said. The descriptions of the suspects in the beating of the homeless man match those of the men who chased the group of black teenagers, Ivens said. One suspect is a white man, about 18, 5 feet 10 inches tall, about 150 pounds, with a shaved head. The other is between 18 and 20, about 6 feet 1 inch tall, around 170 pounds. They were driving a white Pontiac Grand Am or Grand Prix with tinted windows and a stock spoiler. Call Ivens at 774-2234 with information. 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