A 36-year-old woman was attacked in downtown Seattle by a stranger who called her “the inferior race.” The victim was left with permanent injuries and requires surgery.
On September 18th, 2026, around 3:45 p.m., a woman called 911 and reported someone just bit her face off. When police arrived, they found the victim with a large, bloody wound and a chunk of flesh missing from her face.
The victim told police that she was walking to the convenience store at 3rd Avenue and Marion Street, near her work, when a random woman threw a food wrapper at her as she walked past. The victim asked the woman why she would do this and the woman yelled at her “You’re the inferior race” then called her a homophobic slur. The woman then stood up and spit on the victim before grabbing her and pulling her to the ground. While the two women were on the ground, the suspect sunk her teeth into the victim’s forehead and bit out a chunk of flesh about 1 inch in diameter, causing significant bleeding.
A witness working nearby saw the attack and attempted to separate the women. The suspect fled the scene, and the witness ran after her, eventually waving down a King County Marshall working at the courthouse.
Officers who responded to the scene found a bloody sidewalk and a piece of the victim’s flesh that the suspect had spat into a grate.
The suspect, a 36-year-old woman, was positively identified by the victim and placed under arrest by Seattle Police Officers. The victim was transported to the hospital for medical treatment. The case was referred to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for Hate Crime Offense and Felony Assault charges.
The Seattle Police Department’s Safe Place Program is designed for all hate crimes. The members of the SPD strive to serve all members of our community. We work collaboratively with our communities to have an understanding of what challenges minority communities may face. The Safe Place program is a partnership between the Police Department and businesses. It gives victims of bias or hate crimes a Safe Place to go after their incident, where the business will give them shelter while they call for help. Learn more about reporting hate crimes and the SPD Safe Place Program here.
Incident: 2026-278941 / West Precinct / K1