'He should not have been released': Man accused of trying to break into Portland home had been arrested for assault days earlier

Joseph Ibrahim, 18, laughed and giggled about how scared the victim was and admitted to smoking meth, according to court documents.

PORTLAND, Ore. — A Ring doorbell camera captured the scene outside a Northwest Portland home on the evening of Dec. 8. A man bashed in the glass window of a family’s front door. The couple had been eating dinner with their 12 and 14-year-old sons.

The suspect used a vertical post from the family’s wrought-iron fence to shatter the glass, then reached his arm through.

“There was no thought. There was no nothing. He pulled apart our fence, walked right up and immediately started smashing the window,” said the husband, who pushed the intruder’s arm away as he reached to unlock the door.

Portland police arrested 18-year-old Joseph Ibrahim at the scene on Northwest 18th Avenue. Court records indicate that Ibrahim is homeless. The suspect laughed and giggled about how scared the victim was and admitted to smoking methamphetamine earlier that day, according to a probable cause affidavit. He is currently in jail charged with criminal mischief, a felony, and criminal trespass, a misdemeanor.

Court records indicate Ibrahim had been arrested and released from jail a few days before the alleged home invasion in Northwest Portland.

On Dec. 2, Ibrahim allegedly hit a woman in the back of the head, knocking her to the ground in downtown Portland.

“He should not have been released,” said the woman, who asked to be identified as S.F.

S.F. said she was walking near the corner of Southwest 11th Avenue and Alder Street around 9:15 a.m. when the suspect struck her from behind using a bag filled with a sleeping roll and heavy metal lantern. She fell to the ground.

“It was a ‘lights out’ moment,” S.F. explained. Employees from nearby businesses rushed to help her.  

“This was not a random, ‘Let’s bop her on the head and keep on going.’ He wanted to hurt me,” said S.F. “I consider myself lucky to be here today.”

Police used security video from a camera outside a nearby hotel to help identify Ibrahim, S.F. explained. Ibrahim was located nearby and taken into custody.

Court records indicate Ibrahim was booked on misdemeanor charges of attempted assault and harassment on Friday, Dec. 2. He was released the following Monday. At the time, he had no criminal history in Oregon as an adult, records show.

The victims in both incidents agree — Portland must address ongoing problems of homelessness, drugs and crime.

“This kind of violence has just been ramping up in this area over the last few years, getting worse and worse,” said Kerry Duff, the Northwest Portland homeowner. Duff said her family had experienced a string of crimes including vandalism, theft and harassment prior to Ibrahim’s alleged attempted home invasion on Dec. 8.

“We’re a bit terrified because if it is not him that comes back, it could be someone else. We just have so many people that are in need of services,” said Duff.

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