PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Facing a total of $20 million in two lawsuits, TriMet and the Portland Police Bureau say in court filings that they aren’t at fault for the May 2017 MAX train stabbings that left two men dead.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the agencies claim in filings this week that the man charged in the killings, Jeremy Christian, is responsible.

ADVERTISEMENT

The agencies are asking a civil jury to blame Christian.

The families of MAX train stabbing victims Taliesin Namkai-Meche and Ricky Best filed the suits in May 2019.

The lawsuits say TriMet and police had two opportunities to intervene to prevent the deaths of Namkai-Meche and Best in the 24 hours before Christian is accused of attacking them.

Christian is accused of spewing hate speech at black teens on the train, and then stabbing three men who intervened on May 26, 2017.

He has pleaded not guilty.

___

Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com