A disturbing incident unfolded in the Seattle area as a Black woman was dragged off a city bus and stabbed multiple times in what police are investigating as a racially motivated attack.
The victim, a 43-year-old woman, survived the harrowing assault on March 7 outside the doors of a Metro bus that had stopped on Central Avenue South, according to the Kent Police Department.
Eyewitnesses to the attack provided statements to authorities and shared video evidence of the unprovoked assault.
The identity of the Black woman who was stabbed has been withheld by officials due to threats made by the suspects during the bus ride, expressing their disdain for “Black people.”
The ordeal began when the victim sought help from the bus driver after being threatened by the two white men onboard.
Moments later, the men forcibly removed her from the bus at the next stop and proceeded to physically assault her. One of the assailants then stabbed her repeatedly with a pocketknife.
Despite the viciousness of the attack, the victim, who resides in Kent, managed to escape life-threatening injuries, thanks in part to wearing a thick coat that provided some protection.
After receiving treatment for minor injuries at a local hospital, she was released.
Law enforcement officers swiftly responded to the scene, leading to the arrest of one of the suspects, who was found hiding under a car along a residential street in Kent. The second suspect, although not directly involved in the stabbing, faces charges of obstruction for attempting to interfere with the arrest.
Both suspects, identified as 22-year-olds from Maple Valley and Auburn, Washington, respectively, remain in custody. The arrested suspect is being held on charges of second-degree assault and hate crime, with bail set at $250,000.
“I am infuriated by the blatant hateful racially motivated attack on the victim,” Padilla said, according to the Seattle Times. “I want to say this in the strongest way that I can, hate crimes will not be tolerated. If you commit a hate crime in our city, KPD will be relentless in our pursuit of bringing you to justice.”
The incident comes amid efforts by Washington state lawmakers to address hate crimes, with the approval of an emergency hotline to assist victims.
Hate crimes, as defined by Washington law, encompass deliberate acts targeting individuals based on various factors, including race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and disability.
Authorities reported a total of 590 hate crimes in Washington state in 2022, with a significant percentage attributed to race, ethnicity, or ancestry, underscoring the ongoing need for vigilance and action against such reprehensible acts.
