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Blotter: Man reports aggressive panhandler attacked him with knife in Dick’s parking lot

We’re not sure any of the proposals before the City Council to curb aggressive panhandling were designed for a situation like this. A man who says he was attacked in the Dick’s Drive-In parking lot by a panhandler who had asked him for $5 ended up with a 3-inch laceration on his abdomen but was able to drive away, according to a Seattle Police Department report.

According to the report, the man pulled into Dick’s parking lot late last Sunday afternoon and walked down the street to use a nearby ATM. On his way back to his car, the man said another man approached him and started asking him for a handout and trying to block his path. The man said, “I don’t got nothing for you,” he told police.

As the man pushed by and opened his car door, he said he heard what sounded like the click of a folding knife opening. “I’ll take all your money then,” the man told police he heard the panhandler say. According to the report, the man told police the suspect then attacked him and tried to stab him 5-6 times with the knife but was not able to penetrate the man’s jacket. The man said he then kicked the suspect who stumbled and slashed at the man’s abdomen causing the wound. The man said the suspect then fled on foot down the alley behind Dick’s. He was so upset after the attack, the man told police, he drove home before calling 911.

The man described the suspect as “a transient-looking W/M/early 20’s, possibly named XXXX with a prominent nose. He was wearing a dark baseball hat, large black coat with lots of pockets, dark blue jeans and possibly orange on his shoes. Additionally, the suspect was carrying a black backpack described as being full.” According to the report, a search of the area did not turn up anybody fitting the description.

The responding officer reported that the victim had a 3-inch wound described as a “transferred injury” caused by a hard object like a knife blade striking a person but not penetrating fabric.

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zeebleoop
14 years ago

people! call 911 AT the scene of the crime otherwise by the time an officer does a search of the area, the assailant will be gone. i understand an assault is upsetting but i’ve read a few of these posts recently where someone is attacked, goes home and doesn’t report anything until later.

the only way we can get criminals off the streets is to get the police to the scene of an attack as soon after the attack as possible.

tournant
tournant
14 years ago

This guy was not looking for a handout, he was looking to mug someone.

eric1972sea
14 years ago

This is another reason to support the proposed law and crackdown on aggressive pan handling. This area of Broadway has always been known for aggressive pan handlers so I am not surprised this happened. The new law is not anti poor, as most poor people are honest hard working people in low wage jobs. It’s about aggressive individuals too who’d rather ask for a handout and if they don’t get one in some cases this is what they do.

smithy
smithy
14 years ago

Agreed. Mugger does not equal Panhandler. this is SO clear yet so many fools will jump on the bandwagon of “let’s blame those dirty stinky homeless!!” (nothing like kicking someone when they’re down)

*sigh*

philbert
philbert
14 years ago

. . . I hate that guy.