Klamath Falls assistant city manager threatened with rock at council meeting
Hat tip, Betty Bowers, who got it from The Friendly Atheist
Klamath Falls assistant city manager threatened with rock at council meeting
By Joe Siess H&N Staff Reporter Aug 3, 2021
As residents made their way into city hall for a meeting focused on addressing racism and increasing equity Monday night in Klamath Falls, a man wielding a large rock threatened a city employee.
Eric Osterberg, assistant to the city manager of Klamath Falls and staff lead for the Klamath Falls equity task force, was prepared to deliver the task forces final report to the Klamath Falls city council. But before the meeting could start, things turned chaotic. ... As Osterberg sat down in the chambers, a man sat next to him holding a rock about the size of his hand.
Osterberg, sensing that something was off, decided to say hello in an effort to deescalate the situation. But the man just grew more agitated, Osterberg said. ... I could tell something was bugging him, Osterberg said. ... Osterberg said the man told him: Oh, so you think we are all racist? You think you are the second coming of Christ?
Then, Osterberg said, the man accused him of spreading HIV and AIDS, and called him blasphemous. Osterberg is a gay Black man. ... You are a sinner and you need to be stoned. That is why I brought this stone, Osterberg said the man told him.
The man was then escorted out of the building by Klamath Falls police chief Robert Dentinger, who was in the room when the incident happened.
{snip}
Reporter Joe Siess can be reached at (541) 885-4481 or jsiess@heraldandnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @jomsiess