Man arrested for violently attacking stranger near Seattle's Pike Place Market

SEATTLE — Seattle police arrested a man Sunday afternoon who they say violently attacked a man near the entrance to Pike Place Market at 1st Avenue and Pike Street.

The attack happened on May 28 around 2:15 p.m., when a 24-year-old man was causing multiple issues with people by trying to start physical altercations with them, according to the Seattle Police Department (SPD).

The man walked up to two people on the sidewalk, followed them into a nearby store, and punched one of them in the back of the head, causing a man to fall to the ground, knocking over and damaging the store’s scanner in the process, police said.

Court documents state the suspect continued to threaten to assault people, started to walk away, then suddenly turned around and punched the man again, this time in the face. The blow caused the man to fall back and hit the concrete sidewalk headfirst, causing him to bleed profusely, court documents say.

Seattle police officers chased the suspect and arrested him a couple blocks away near Third Avenue and Pike Street.

OTHER INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE NEAR PIKE PLACE MARKET:

• Man accused of harassing family at Pike Place Market makes 1st court appearance
  
• Seattle man who harassed, punched business employees at Pike Place Market could see trial
  
• Pike Place Market: Video of road rage incident that led to near brawl in Seattle released
  
• Guest stabbed outside downtown Seattle hotel says he 'didn't expect these issues'
  

Responding Seattle firefighters had to perform “advanced life-saving measures,” and the man was taken to Harborview Medical Center, where he is currently stable.

"Everyday you never know what you’re going to see, everyday is different," Jarrell Banks, who works as a security guard nearby, said, "I see people smoking all kinds of drugs, I’ve seen people naked out here, people pooping in the alley because there’s no bathroom."

The Seattle Shirt Company, which has a location at 1st Avenue and Pike Street, hired their own security a couple years ago to protect customers and staff.

"I’ve had people spit at me, I’ve had people try to punch me, there’s been one guy we had to shut down the shop because he was actually threatening to violently hurt us," employee Crystal Otey said.

The suspect in this latest incident was booked into the King County jail on assault and malicious mischief and is currently being held on $100,000 bail.

According to SPD's crime data, the area has seen an increase in assaults in recent years since at least 2020, when there were 10 reported assaults. In 2021, there were 11 assaults reported and 13 reported incidents in 2022.

"Starbucks, they have their own security, we have our own security, we can monitor this corner, and if there’s another business doing the same thing, I think maybe it can work out, but we have go to help each other out some way," Banks added.