Seattle Police arrested a man Thursday afternoon after he was identified as the suspect in a racially based hate crime assault on a tourist Wednesday.
Officers originally responded to a park in the 3000 block of Alaskan Way Wednesday afternoon after witnesses watched an assault on an out-of-state visitor. Officers located the victim, an 18-year-old man, who said he was taking photos of the water when he noticed a man approaching him on the beach.
The victim told officers he turned to walk away but was attacked from behind by the man who kicked, grabbed, and threw him to the ground. The suspect pinned and punched the man, then grabbed earbuds the victim was wearing and threw them. Officers also learned the suspect yelled racial slurs and threatened the victim during the assault.
Park security was able to provide a picture of the suspect to officers. The victim had no obvious injuries and declined medical assistance.
On Thursday afternoon at about 1:30 p.m., officers were called back to the park after security saw the suspect in the area, wearing the exact same clothing he wore during the assault. Once in custody, the suspect threatened to kill a witness who positively identified him from the tourist assault the day prior.
The 50-year-old suspect was booked into the King County Jail for assault, hate crime, obstructing, and felony harassment.
Detective Judinna Gulpan
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