Portland police charged a 39-year-old man with aggravated assault after he allegedly slashed a man with a knife during a fight in the city’s Bayside neighborhood Monday afternoon.

Robert Jerome of Portland was arrested after police found the 37-year-old victim with wounds to his chest and hands about 3 p.m. in the area of Alder and Portland streets.

The victim, who was not identified, was treated by paramedics at the scene for injuries that were not life-threatening, police said Tuesday.

Officers found Jerome at his home nearby and quickly arrested him, police said. He is alleged to have choked and cut the victim during the fight.

Jerome and the victim knew each other and the reason for the attack is still being investigated, police said. Anyone who might have witnessed the incident or who has information about what happened is being urged to call police at 874-8575.

Jerome is being held at the Cumberland County Jail until his first court appearance, and also faces another count of violating the conditions of release.

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The incident occurred in the heart of Bayside, which has seen a rash of violent incidents in recent months, including a fatal shooting.

The neighborhood is home to the city’s primary homeless shelter and a cluster of other social services. While police have said the users of the shelter and other services in Bayside are not responsible for the recent violence, the crimes have fueled resistance to a city plan to replace the Bayside shelter with a more modern version that would be built in the Nason’s Corner neighborhood on the western edge of the city.

Matt Byrne can be contacted at 791-6303 or at:

mbyrne@pressherald.com

Twitter: MattByrnePPH


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