SEATTLE, WA - Police have arrested a man they say is connected to a spate of random stabbings that transpired over two days and injured a total of 10 people, including nine men and one woman. Five of those victims were stabbed during the afternoon on Friday, November 8th.
According to the Associated Press (AP), the stabbings on Friday afternoon took place in a roughly four-block area in Seattle's Chinatown-International District. Seattle Deputy Chief Eric Barden said, "This incident was apparently one individual over a 38-hour period of time committing random assaults." Witnesses reported a description of the individual and police were able to locate him nearby. He was taken into custody without further incident.
Four of the victims were taken to Harborview Medical Center and one victim was treated at the scene and released. A spokesperson for Harborview confirmed that the four victims were at the hospital, adding that all of them were in critical condition. As of Friday evening, two of them remained in critical condition. One has been upgraded to serious condition and the other to satisfactory condition.
The stabbings started on Thursday, November 7th. A 52-year-old woman was found with multiple stab wounds. On Thursday afternoon, a 32-year-old man was found after being stabbed multiple times and then around 8:00 p.m., a 37-year-old man was stabbed multiple times in the back.
Early in the morning on Friday, police responded to a assault call and found a 53-year-old man bleeding heavily from a neck injury. Police followed a blood trail to a nearby doorway and used that as a starting point for police dogs to track the suspect. That, however, was unsuccessful. Police said the 10th stabbing on Thursday night involved a cellphone robbery in which someone forcibly opened a vehicle door and tried to stab a 60-year-old man in the chest.
The victim blocked the assault and was cut on his hand. Police said it was not clear at the time if the incident was connected to the other random stabbing attacks. On Friday afternoon, during a press conference, Barden said, "It is my understanding that everyone is alive." Barden said police suspect that the person arrested in connection with Friday's stabbings is the same person involved with at least four other stabbings that happened starting early Thursday. He cited similar descriptions and the randomness of the attacks, but added that the investigation is ongoing.
The Guardian reported that Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell said that the city would increase law enforcement resources and patrols in response to the attacks. He said, "The stabbings in Little Saigon and the Chinatown-International District are horrific, appalling, and shouldn't occur anywhere in our city." According to KIRO7, the suspect had his first court appearance on Saturday, November 9th.
The suspect has since been identified as Ronald Lee. In court, a King County senior deputy prosecutor asked the court to find probable cause for five counts of first-degree assault and hold Lee on a $2 million bail. The defense asked the court for a lower amount. After hearing from both sides, the court found probable cause for the five counts of first-degree assault.
King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion said, "People who live in and travel to the Chinatown-International District deserve to feel safe and be safe, and the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office will continue to do its part to bring necessary accountability."
According to the Associated Press (AP), the stabbings on Friday afternoon took place in a roughly four-block area in Seattle's Chinatown-International District. Seattle Deputy Chief Eric Barden said, "This incident was apparently one individual over a 38-hour period of time committing random assaults." Witnesses reported a description of the individual and police were able to locate him nearby. He was taken into custody without further incident.
Four of the victims were taken to Harborview Medical Center and one victim was treated at the scene and released. A spokesperson for Harborview confirmed that the four victims were at the hospital, adding that all of them were in critical condition. As of Friday evening, two of them remained in critical condition. One has been upgraded to serious condition and the other to satisfactory condition.
The stabbings started on Thursday, November 7th. A 52-year-old woman was found with multiple stab wounds. On Thursday afternoon, a 32-year-old man was found after being stabbed multiple times and then around 8:00 p.m., a 37-year-old man was stabbed multiple times in the back.
Early in the morning on Friday, police responded to a assault call and found a 53-year-old man bleeding heavily from a neck injury. Police followed a blood trail to a nearby doorway and used that as a starting point for police dogs to track the suspect. That, however, was unsuccessful. Police said the 10th stabbing on Thursday night involved a cellphone robbery in which someone forcibly opened a vehicle door and tried to stab a 60-year-old man in the chest.
The victim blocked the assault and was cut on his hand. Police said it was not clear at the time if the incident was connected to the other random stabbing attacks. On Friday afternoon, during a press conference, Barden said, "It is my understanding that everyone is alive." Barden said police suspect that the person arrested in connection with Friday's stabbings is the same person involved with at least four other stabbings that happened starting early Thursday. He cited similar descriptions and the randomness of the attacks, but added that the investigation is ongoing.
The Guardian reported that Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell said that the city would increase law enforcement resources and patrols in response to the attacks. He said, "The stabbings in Little Saigon and the Chinatown-International District are horrific, appalling, and shouldn't occur anywhere in our city." According to KIRO7, the suspect had his first court appearance on Saturday, November 9th.
The suspect has since been identified as Ronald Lee. In court, a King County senior deputy prosecutor asked the court to find probable cause for five counts of first-degree assault and hold Lee on a $2 million bail. The defense asked the court for a lower amount. After hearing from both sides, the court found probable cause for the five counts of first-degree assault.
King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion said, "People who live in and travel to the Chinatown-International District deserve to feel safe and be safe, and the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office will continue to do its part to bring necessary accountability."
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