1:22 PM: SFD and SPD are dealing right now with three victims in what they have told dispatch are believed to be related assaults, one at 37th and Alaska and one reported to be closer to Rotary Viewpoint Park (the one with the totem pole). At least two of them are reported to have a serious head injury from being hit by what police believe was a crowbar and/or fire extinguisher.
1:29 PM: One victim is being taken to Harborview Medical Center. Police have reported that they’re told robbery was involved in at least one case. They’re bringing in a K9 to help search for the attacker.
1:36 PM: The response is blocking the outside northbound lane of 35th north of Alaska – we’ve added a traffic-cam grab. Meantime, police still have only a partial description – “light-skinned Black man, 6′, medium build, 30s, acne scars,” possibly in a blue coat. They’ve said he might be associated with the encampment on the east side of 35th so that’s where the search is focusing.
1:57 PM: They’re still searching in that area and believe they’ve found the blue coat the attacker was wearing; he has reported to have since been seen in a gray T-shirt.
2:05 PM: Some police will be looking north of all that, as the attacker may have been seen in that direction.
2:20 PM: The search has been moved to a tactical radio channel, meaning we won’t hear more until/unless there’s a development such as an arrest. Before that, a few descriptive details were added – short curly black hair, chubby and freckled face, gap in the two front teeth (and believed to be a resident of the encampment).
3:21 PM: No arrests yet. Police are scaling back the scene. Added photos above and below sent by Jared. We’re checking with SFD on the victims’ conditions.
4:27 PM: Police are still in the area. They’re basing the operation out of the stadium/golf course vicinity, so that’s why you see a presence there.
(Added: Photo of SWAT trucks in golf course/stadium lot, sent by Dylan)
4:48 PM: They’re actually looking for two suspects and focusing on one particular tent in the encampment south of the stadium. SWAT is assisting.
5:07 PM: Police are planning to block entry to the stadium/golf course lot because of this ongoing operation.
5:44 PM: After getting a search warrant, they’ve gone into the tent on which they were focusing; no one there, but they’re searching for evidence.
7:18 PM: That has since wound down. Meantime, we’ve received the info we requested from SFD on the victims: One man, about 30, was in critical condition when taken to the hospital; a 39-year-old man and 35-year-old man were both in stable condition.
9:44 PM: SPD has just posted its summary of the incident. They say all three victims were attacked during “a violent robbery at a tent encampment inside of Rotary Viewpoint Park.” They say two of the victims – who SPD says are ages 28, 39, and 42 – are in critical condition. The summary describes what police believe were the circumstances:
Police determined that multiple suspects went to the victims’ tent and deployed a fire extinguisher inside. When the victims exited, they were ambushed by the suspects. They struck the victims in the heads using improvised weapons, reportedly a crowbar, the fire extinguisher, and a wrench.
The suspects knocked two of the victims unconscious. The third victim, suffering a severe head laceration, managed to get away. While on the ground the suspects went through the victims’ pockets and told them to give them everything they had.
Following the robbery, the suspects fled on foot before police arrived.
A police K9 team arrived at the scene. They tracked the suspects to a tent in a nearby encampment. Police wrote a search warrant for the property and SPD’s SWAT team responded to serve the warrant. SWAT did not find anyone inside.
Detectives in the Robbery Unit responded to process the crime scenes. Detectives also went to HMC to interview the victims. As of 6:30 p.m., two of them remain in critical condition. The third victim is in stable condition.
Anyone with information is asked to call the violent crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000. Anonymous tips are accepted.
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