Eugene stabbing near downtown sends victim to hospital, suspect not found

Eugene police were still looking for a suspect after a stabbing near Washington Street and West 12th Avenue sent one person to the hospital late Wednesday night, briefly disrupting traffic in a busy downtown-adjacent corridor.

Central Lane 911 received the call at 9:43 p.m. April 22, 2026, and Eugene Police officers were first on scene. Officers gave emergency medical aid before Eugene Springfield Fire took over care and transported the victim to a local hospital. The Eugene Police Department said its Violent Crimes Unit was investigating.

The search drew help from multiple agencies. The Lane County Sheriff’s Office and Oregon State Police responded with K-9s, but no suspect was located. Police said there was no ongoing threat to the community as the investigation continued.

During the search, authorities advised motorists to avoid northbound Washington Street from 12th to 11th Alley. The roadway reopened at 12:54 a.m. April 23, after the area had been tied up with emergency response for several hours. A city Fire & EMS CAD log also listed the incident at Washington St and W 12th Ave as a “STAB WOUND,” matching the police timeline.

The location put the incident squarely in a part of Eugene that sees steady foot traffic from nearby businesses, residents and people moving between downtown blocks at night. That makes the case especially visible to workers and neighbors in the surrounding area, even as police have not released a suspect description or motive.

For investigators, the next steps will likely depend on witness accounts, surveillance video and other evidence from the area around Washington Street and West 12th Avenue. Eugene police have not identified anyone publicly in connection with the stabbing, and the case remained open Thursday morning.

Downtown Eugene has seen other violent incidents in recent months that initially involved a search for a suspect before arrests were made. In September 2024, Eugene police arrested Nathanyl Michael Dylan Golt after a stabbing near East Broadway. In December 2025, police arrested Joshua Margarito Saldivar after a downtown stabbing near Oak Alley and East 10th Avenue that left Douglas Eugene Beinhauer dead.