On 1/17/09 at about 1230 am, an officer onviewed a disturbance in the 2200 block of 3rd Ave. The officer observed three males in their 20s confronting the suspect, a male transient in his 40s. When she stopped to investigate, she learned that the suspect had slashed one of the men with a pocketknife. The suspect refused to obey verbal commands, so the officer had to call for additional units to assist. Once the other officers arrived, they were able to take the suspect into custody.
The officers learned that the incident had begun when the suspect accosted the men and their female companion at a nearby lounge. The suspect began to make rude comments about the woman as he followed the group down the street. Initially, the victim and his friends tried to ignore the suspect. However, he followed them for about three blocks, harassing them the whole way. The victim shoved the suspect, and the suspect responded by producing the knife and attacking him. The suspect cut the victim’s face, and the victim responded by punching the suspect in the face several times. The suspect sustained some facial injuries, and the victim had a small gash near his right eye. Seattle fire responded to the scene to examine them both.
Officers booked the suspect for the Investigation of Assault after he was treated at HMC. The officers did recover a pocketknife with an approximately two-inch-long blade from the suspect.