Man accused of chewing off man’s ear said victim was a robot

By LISA BAUMANN
Associated Press

A man accused of chewing off the ear of a 78-year-old man on a light-rail train platform near Portland, Oregon, told detectives he thought the victim was a robot trying to kill him, police said.

Koryn Daniel Kraemer was charged with second-degree assault in Multnomah County District Court on Wednesday, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office said. Kraemer, 25, entered a not guilty plea to the charge.

Around 2 a.m. Tuesday, police and deputies responded to a light rail platform in Gresham after a caller said they could see a lot of blood and an attacker on top of a victim, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

Officers used force to remove Kraemer from the victim and the victim was taken to a hospital, the affidavit said. The victim’s right ear was bitten off in the attack and part of his skull was visible, the affidavit said. He was sedated but in stable condition, according to the document.

Investigators said the suspect initially gave his name as El Baker, and he was booked into jail under that name. Multnomah County jail staff later identified the man as Kraemer, who had recently moved to Portland from Georgia, the affidavit said.

Kraemer told a detective he consumed alcohol, marijuana and fentanyl pills before the attack, according to the affidavit, and said he could tell by how the victim smelled that he was a robot. He also told police he spit the flesh onto the ground.

Kraemer is being held in custody without bail.