SEATTLE — The suspect arrested in connection to five stabbings in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District on Nov. 8 appeared in court on Saturday.
His bail was set at $2 million, as requested by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (KCPAO). The judge also found probable cause for five counts of first-degree assault for each of the individuals injured in Friday’s stabbings.
KING 5 is not naming the 37-year-old suspect as he has not been officially charged in court. A judge also ordered media could not film the suspect's face.
The suspect’s bail was also set at such a high amount because he had an active warrant out for his arrest, according to Casey McNerthney, spokesperson for the KCPAO.
“There’s a lot of not only residents but small businesses who were really fearful when they first heard about the incident yesterday and about what that impact will look like the next couple of weeks," City Council Member Tanya Woo said. She was at the court appearance.
Though police believe the suspect is connected to the recent stabbings of five other people in the CID area, those incidents are still under investigation and have not been sent to the prosecuting attorney’s office, McNerthney added.
On Friday, four people were stabbed just before 2 p.m. near 12th Avenue South and South Jackson Street. A fifth victim was found on 10th Avenue South and South Jackson Street.
The suspect was found in the same area as the last victim and was arrested. At police headquarters, he was found to have blood on his hands and his clothing matched the suspect description given to police.
A witness told police they saw the suspect walk up behind a man and stab him in the back. Video evidence showed the suspect then stabbed another man in the back, during which the knife became stuck in the man’s back, documents state.
The witness followed the suspect and then saw him stab another three people, probable cause documents state.
Four of the victims, all men, were transported to Harborview Medical Center. As of Saturday afternoon, three of the men are in serious condition and one man is in satisfactory condition, a hospital spokesperson said.
Police searched the empty parking lot where the suspect was arrested and found two bloodied knives.
In total, 10 people — one woman and nine men — have been stabbed in the CID in less than two days, according to Seattle police. The injuries range from small cuts to severe stab wounds, Barden said. One incident involved someone's cellphone being stolen, but the others have all been "random attacks."
“This person brought a lot of fear into the community, a little bit of terror and affected our most marginalized, our unhoused neighbors and residents as well as the small businesses," Woo said.