Officers arrested a man in Chinatown Friday after he fired a flare gun at another man and then tried to attack him with a machete.
Around 8:15 pm Friday, a bus tunnel security guard flagged down Officer Richard Bonesteel near 6th Avenue and King Street and reported hearing a gunshot nearby.
Officer Bonesteel then found two men on the ground, fighting in the middle road near 6th Avenue and King Street.
After breaking up the brawl, Officer Bonesteel noticed one of the men—the suspect—had a bottle of whiskey and a machete tucked in his pants. Officer Bonesteel quickly took the suspect’s machete and handcuffed him. Officers also recovered the flare gun nearby.
At the scene, the victim told officers he was walking north on King Street when the suspect walked up behind him and, without saying a word, fired a flare gun at the back of the victim’s head.
The flare grazed the victim’s jaw, severely burning him, before the victim turned around and began fighting for his life.
The victim told police the suspect had been trying to grab for his machete when officers arrived. The victim also said he only knows the suspect “in passing.”
Officers arrested the suspect, who smelled strongly of alcohol, and booked him into the King County Jail for assault.