In a shocking incident in Kent, Washington, a Black woman was dragged off a Seattle metro bus and stabbed in what authorities are labeling as a “racially-motivated” attack.
The Kent Police Department responded to reports of a stabbing near the 800 block of Central Avenue South around 7:45 p.m. on March 7, where they found the victim, a 43-year-old Black woman from Kent.
According to the victim’s account to 911 dispatchers, she was assaulted by two suspects who approached her on the bus, hurling racist insults and expressing disdain for Black people.
When she sought assistance from the bus driver, one of the assailants turned violent, dragging her off the bus and assaulting her.
The attacker then proceeded to stab her multiple times with a folding pocketknife.
Fortunately, the victim’s injuries were mitigated by her bulky jacket, which protected her from more serious harm.
However, the jacket sustained several cuts from the attack. After the assault, the suspects fled the scene, prompting a police search.
Authorities swiftly located and apprehended the stabbing suspect, a 22-year-old Maple Valley resident, who was found hiding under a vehicle.
He was promptly booked into the King County Jail on charges of assault and hate crime. Additionally, the second suspect, a 22-year-old Auburn resident, was arrested and charged with obstructing justice for attempting to impede his friend’s arrest.
Kent Police Chief Rafael Padilla strongly condemned the attack, labeling it as “blatantly hateful.”
He pledged the full force of the law in prosecuting the offender and emphasized the zero-tolerance policy towards hate crimes in the city.
“I am infuriated by the blatant hateful racially motivated attack on the victim,” Chief Padilla stated. “Our officers took this call very seriously, conducting a thorough investigation and successfully put the violent offender in jail. Our detectives will now continue the investigation, and we will prosecute the offender to the fullest extent of the law.”
Padilla reiterated the department’s unwavering stance against hate crimes, emphasizing their commitment to pursuing justice for victims of such despicable acts.
Authorities have declined to identify the victim and the suspects to prevent possible reprisals.
