Apparent assault on Bend Latino man has family, police looking for answers

BEND, Ore (KTVZ) -- Family members say 30-year-old Geovanni Ortega last remembers walking from downtown Bend near Newport Avenue last Friday night -- when the next thing he knew, he was waking up in a hospital with a tube down his throat.

Ortega's sister, Dulce Pelayo, said Monday she's asking police for answers.

"I received a call from St. Charles, saying that my brother obviously was found Friday evening, unresponsive," Pelayo said.

Pelayo said they have lived in Bend since immigrating in 1992. She also explained to me that he's experiencing what seem to be side-effects from the alleged attack.

"He mentioned, 'Sister, I don't feel like myself,'" she recalled. "And I said, 'What do you mean?' And he's like, 'I just don't feel like me.'"

The family members said they don't know what would have prompted someone to attack Ortega.

Bend police Lt. Juli McConkey said the department is looking for answers as well, trying to get people to contact them with any information that could help fit the pieces together of just what happened.

A community member told me the violence has prompted worry among Bend's minority communities.

"Of course, it creates fear and concern, not only in the Latino community but in all communities of color," she said.

As for Geovannie Ortega, his family believes they know who was behind the attack, speaking of the participants in a Bend right-wing rally that took place Saturday.

"This was no isolated incident," Pelayo said. "I'm pretty sure is connected to the events that were leading up to this weekend's rally."

Ortega's sister has created a GoFundMe page to assist in medical and other expenses.