Real Change News | Street Watch

March 17, 2010
Vol: 17 No: 12

Street Watch

Street Watch - 03/17/10

by: Emma Quinn

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Tues., March 2, 5:20 p.m., Stone Avenue North. Officer responded to a call of a female with no shoes on lying in the street on Stone Ave. N. She was reportedly talking on a cell phone. The caller reported that the subject appeared mental. Officers arrived and found the suspect, a transient female. She would not speak to them and continued to talk on her cell phone. She got off the phone and began to cry. Officer noticed she had a black eye and asked her how she got it. She said “What black eye?” and then said “some john” had done it. She said she just wanted to go home. Officer asked her where she lived, and she said “California.” She began to leave the scene, and officer begged her not to go. He asked her to wait for an ambulance to take her to the hospital and have her eye checked out. She agreed and officer called an ambulance. She asked for her purse, but it was nowhere to be found. Subject then stated she had been assaulted by another prostitute. She gave officers a description, but they were unable to locate the suspect. Subject was transported to Harborview Medical Center for medical attention.

Tues., March 2, 12:48 p.m., Central Lutheran Church, Eleventh Avenue. The Central Lutheran Church runs a program called the Community Lunch on Capitol Hill that offers food to homeless people several times a week. The victim and the suspect – both transient males – were at the church in order to access some food. Both of them are known to frequent Seattle area shelters. Witness, a staff member of the lunch program, reported the suspect was repeatedly both inside the church premises and on the exterior court of the property on the listed date. Suspect had previously been issued a No Trespass warrant for this property, which was still current. He apparently trespassed on and off over the course of a few hours, and was repeatedly told to leave the premises. After being told to leave he would cross the street to Cal Anderson Park before returning to the church. The staff at the church are aware that suspect has been previously arrested for assaulting another client of the church in Oct. 2009. He is also reportedly assaultive of other clients, and has also been known to assault police officers. On this occasion the suspect entered the church and went into the bathroom where he assaulted the victim without provocation. Staff members heard a scuffle in the bathroom, and upon investigation saw victim and suspect facing each other. Victim was visibly bleeding from various facial scratches. Victim reported he was struck in the face by the suspect several times for no reason. He stated he does not know the suspect and there was no verbal exchange before the attack. He declined medical attention. Staff at the church state that suspect has a history of being quick tempered and physically assaultive, particularly towards other transients. Suspect immediately left the area after the assault and officers were unable to locate him. Victim was willing to press charges, but is due to leave for Alaska so may not be in the area if the suspect is found and arrested.

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