ONTARIO, Ore. — A group of Ontario businesses are pulling together to help out a man who was stabbed repeatedly in the neck last weekend.
Investigators are calling the attack a hate crime.
According to Ontario police, Nolan Strauss stabbed Ronnel Hughes multiple times on Saturday at an Arby's restaurant inside a Pilot truck stop.
“It's one of those things that you don’t think can happen here, nor should it happen anywhere and at any point in time, but when something of that magnitude comes into your small community and to somebody you know, it's time for the community to pull together and support our own community,” said Angie Grove, owner of Mackey’s Steakhouse & Pub.
She says Ron started working at the restaurant just one day before the attack.
“Number one, I couldn’t believe that happened in our community," Grove said. "Number two, to somebody we just met and who was so nice. How's that even possible."
Mackey’s Steakhouse and Pub will be donating a portion of their sales on Tuesday to help Ron.
“Anybody dining with us that day, 20% of the sales will go to him and to help pay for some of the medical expenses, being out of work for a few weeks like he's going to be,” Grove said.
They've now challenged other businesses to participate. As of Thursday, Kanpai restaurant and Rusty's Steakhouse in Ontario both agreed to participate.
“I just think it's our personal responsibility, if there is something you can reach out and do in your own community, no matter how big or small it doesn’t matter,” Grove said.
Ron was released from the hospital on Christmas Eve.
“We actually got to say hi, he'd actually just been released and stopped by here to say thank you and that he was okay,” Grove said.
The fundraiser will take place all day Tuesday at Mackey’s, located at 111 SW 1st Street in Ontario.
They’ll also hold a silent auction.
“I just think it's important for communities to pull together and to step up and to not let this kind of thing become habitual or let it be acceptable in your community, because it's not,” Grove said.
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