Portland man says he was nearly beaten to death after being ambushed by strangers

PORTLAND, Ore. (KPTV) - A Portland man said he was nearly beaten to death in his Portland home after getting ambushed by strangers.

Joshua Morrison said the attack happened Sunday near Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard and Liebe Street in Southeast Portland. Morrison said a woman screaming for help knocked on his door. But after he opened the door to help he said the woman started punching him in the face.

Then, Morrison said he was ambushed when two men appeared in his doorway, they knocked him out and tied him up.

“They just all three of them started attacking me,” said Morrison. “They’d work on my face while they held my wrist. I thought I was actually going to die. I was telling myself in my mind, I’m going to die now, this is it - just keep fighting, just keep fighting.”

He said each intruder took turns beating him, hitting him in the face with the butt of his shotgun that they found inside.

“They knocked me out probably seven different times,” said Morrison. “As they were hitting me with the shotgun, I could hear bones crushing and I literally thought I was going to die.”

Morrison said the suspects even hurt his cat, who he found days later with a broken shoulder.

“They said, ‘we’re going to kill your cat, we’re going to kill your cat,’” said Morrison.

Portland police responded to Morrison’s home and thought the suspects could still be inside, but that was not the case. The suspects had already taken off.

Portland police are still investigating this incident. Police have not provided suspect descriptions at this time.

Morrison said he had to have surgery and stayed in the hospital for days. Stitches, screws, even a metal plate now lodged inside his forehead. He also has burns on his hands from the zip ties.

Morrison is traumatized, but the silver lining in all of this - is all the support he’s getting from family, friends and even complete strangers.

“It’s just been amazing actually. It’s really making me trust people again,” said Morrison.

Family and friends have started a GoFundMe account to help pay for medical bills. Anyone who would like to help can visit: www.gofundme.com/josh-beaten-loses-life-savings