Dog owners say they’ve been attacked at Laurelhurst Park

By Chandler Watkins

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    PORTLAND, Oregon (KPTV) — Some residents who live near Laurelhurst Park are sounding the alarm after several dog owners were threatened, followed, and maced by a man Portland police are still searching for.

“I was walking my dog before I went to work, so around 5:45, 6 a.m.,” Ana Cudeck said. “I always go to Laurelhurst with him. I have him off lease in the dog park. It was pretty pitch black out. A man approached us and basically said ‘if your dog comes near me I’m going to mace him.’”

Cudeck said she told the man they were minding their own business, but as she and her dog continued walking the man began to follow her while shining a flashlight at her.

“He got too close for comfort,” Cudeck said. “I had a knife so I started to turn around with my knife and before I could even turn around, he put the flashlight in my face and maced me. I was instantly blinded. I’ve been maced before, I was in the police academy, I knew what I was experiencing. I got a contact out, grabbed my dog, and ran.”

Cudeck said she contacted police and filed a report.

“Every day I choose to go to Laurelhurst and walk my dog,” Cudeck said. “I feel very safe normally, but this has changed all of that. There was a lot of fear, especially when he was following me. I had absolutely no idea what his intentions were and I really thought I was going to have to prepare to fight. It was terrifying, absolutely terrifying. I was just walking my dog before work and instead I was maced.”

Cudeck said she went on Nextdoor to post about her experience, as well as warn others, when she saw someone posted a similar experience. She says she’s now heard from several who were threatened, followed, and one was maced as well allegedly by the same man.

“He’s in his 30s to 40s, he dresses in all black, walks by himself, baseball cap,” Cudeck said. “I would like people, especially if they’re walking their dogs in the morning to try and go with someone else, get a group, whatever you can do. Hopefully we can find this guy before he does it more.”

Portland Parks & Recreation spokesperson said while Park Rangers are “not law enforcement officers; Rangers serve as goodwill ambassadors and provide a positive public safety presence in Portland parks and park facilities. Portland Park Rangers can be a resource to help solve park problems and ensure the protection of our natural and cultural resources. They work closely with other City and area partners, including police, to help stop problems and solve issues.”

They did confirm they will be reaching out to PPB to see how staff may offer support to law enforcement regarding these incidents.

PPB confirms officers searched the park but have not located the suspect at this time.

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