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SPD investigating 700 Broadway crime scene — UPDATE: Man says raped at knifepoint

Seattle police today are searching for a man who allegedly raped his male victim at knifepoint in a Broadway apartment building early Monday morning. SPD warns that at this point they believe this is a “stranger” crime meaning the victim and the suspect did not know each other and that there could be a danger to others. Anybody with information is urged to call 911. Details on the suspect and the unfolding investigation are below.

Original Monday Post: We’re told details of the investigation will be released soon but we’re getting quite a few notes about the situation at the 700 Broadway building Monday morning at the intersection of Broadway E and E Roy. What we know at this time is that police have an area inside the building’s garage taped off.


@gregoryheller sends this picture of the scene via Twitter.

There have been no medic callouts to the address. The building is home to apartments and has a FedEx and the Starbucks Roy Street Coffee location on its first floor.

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Alan Motley
12 years ago

I find it interesting it was in his apartment and he says he did not know the person…That is a pretty secure building. Besides my skepticism, I hope the victim is ok.

Alan Motley
12 years ago

Also…. Good for the guy for reporting it… A lot of guys wouldn’t have my friend just reminded me.

Ella
Ella
12 years ago

I have two friends in this building so scary!

Chris
12 years ago

Seriously. That took guts, and he’s helping the rest of the community by doing it.

Chris
12 years ago

Also – may he heal from the experience and have lots of support in doing so.

ixoxeles
12 years ago

It’s entirely possible that the attacker could’ve followed him up the back stairs, attacked him in the stairwell at knifepoint and forced him to open his apartment. He would simply have to have NOT heard or been paying attention to who was was behind him.

It does seem odd though, in that one wouldn’t expect someone to randomly pick a male to sexually assault. Even though it seems that the victim did not know his attacker, (to me, at least) it seems that it would be someone who had been stalking him specifically for some period of time.

Ryan
12 years ago

I live in this building and used that stair well to get to the resident parking garage this morning at 1:35 am sharp. I work graveyard for Amazon and was headed to work. I can guarantee there was no crime being committed in those stairs at 1:35 and I didn’t see or hear anything suspicious. Just saying…

Ryan
12 years ago

And if the police would like a formal report from me, I would be happy to help. Please contact the resident manager for my info.

Bethundra
Bethundra
12 years ago

Called in a report about someone near Cal Anderson today who was acting weird and matched the suspect’s description very closely. Definitely a long shot but I’d rather create a little extra paperwork for someone than forever wonder.

JimS.
12 years ago

Saying the attacker was a “stranger to the victim” doesn’t mean that they hadn’t just met and agreed to have a drink, have sex, or whatever. Let’s not be naive, it happens. This sounds like date rape where “no means no” even if it’s a guy to another guy. I don’t think you can assume it’s totally random from what’s been reported here so far. It says the victim was home. Maybe they hooked up online, he buzzed him in, and it went downhill from there?

anouk
12 years ago

Interesting (and disgusting) how most of you commenters seem to be naysaying victim-blamers. “Around 1:30am could even be 1:45 or between 1:30 and 2am. Just because it wasn’t happening while you were in the vicinity, does not make the whole thing entirely untrue. No wonder rape victims feel guilty and often don’t report the crime to the police. Even in “liberal” Seattle, look at all of you making any excuse in the world of why it “might not be” rape. Get some compassion.

Alan Motley
12 years ago

Believe me there is compassion here. As a gay man myself I find stories like this very important and I do respect the situation greatly. I also know as a gay man there are sites to call on other gay men to hook up. With saying that there were comments earlier about the rarity of a man attacking another man with intent to harm them sexually. There is truth as it would be very hard to gauge how a victim would react as far strength and or fight to survive.

Using a logic mind one is able to assume that the victim may have felt comfortable with this person on the onset giving the attacker the ability to read the situation and then react. It has been stated that the victim was in his “Secured” apartment. It was also stated that the victim did not leave his residence. It would be safe to assume that this attacker may have been buzzed in. I would even offer the idea of maybe he was attacked while going to get laundry but those units all have their own washer and dryer hookups.

All and all we obviously care… We would not of posted if we didn’t.

Regards,

-A

Jake
12 years ago

My wife and I live in the building and were in the stairwell to take the dog for a walk at about 1:10am. We did not see or hear anything suspicious. And before Anouk calls me a victim hater – I am nothing of the sort. This person was MY NEIGHBOR and I feel terribly for him. I simply live in this building and want this crime solved as quickly as possible. If something did indeed happen in the back stairwell, then we now know that it happened between 1:10am and 1:35am.

I’m making private information public in case it helps. As with Ryan, the police should feel free to call the Apt. Manager for my info if I can be of further assistance.

Amy Cringeneck
12 years ago

The police investigation will clear all of this up in due course, I’m sure, but this thread exhibits the kind of evidence as to why men (and heck, women, too, for that matter) do not report such crimes: he was asking for it because he was trolling for sex, etc. Let’s trot out every gay stereotype to explain why his story is false…because that’s our job as readers of the internet. And let’s also assume that the victim is gay, ie a victim of his own sexual hijinx. Ugh. This is why the internet makes me sick.

It is not our place to figure out what happened, but rather simply be aware of our surroundings so that we can avoid such situations ourselves and/ or better be able to help victims and the police in solving such crimes.

JimS.
12 years ago

Amy, I think you’re reading an awful lot into some of these comments. I read all the comments up to now and I didn’t see anyone blaming the victim or suggesting that it was his own fault, or that he was asking for it. Simply stating that a *possible* explanation is that he hooked up online, is not the same thing as suggesting he was “asking for it”. It’s entirely consistent to say he might have arranged an online hookup, a guy came over, things got sketchy. He said “no”, but the guy pulled a knife. Did you see anyone suggest “he deserved it, he was asking for it”? I didn’t. That’s still rape in anyone’s book. Nobody’s said differently, you’re assuming they did.

m
m
12 years ago

According to KOMO, the assault occurred inside the victims apartment, so what I’d like to know is how did the suspect get into the victims apartment? Was this truly “random”? As a man who lives alone, is there reason to fear this could happen to anyone? (I don’t live in a secured building) My hunch is that it wasn’t entirely random. If not, I just wish they would report that.

jseattle
jseattle
12 years ago

To be clear, SPD says the assault happened inside the man’s apartment — noted above:

The adult male victim told officers that he had been physically attacked and sexually assaulted in his apartment (located in the 700 block of Broadway Avenue E.) around 1:30 a.m

jseattle
jseattle
12 years ago

KOMO is reporting on the SPD details we provided above. SPD says the attack happened “in his apartment”

m
m
12 years ago

Ah yes, sorry, sorry. All the emphasis on the stairwell in the comments had me questioning the details. Still would like to know “how” the suspect entered i.e. forced entry or otherwise…

JimS.
12 years ago

m,
whether it did or didn’t for this guy…if you live in a non-secured building especially– why would you think this could never happen to you? In a non-secure bldg, couldn’t it really happen to anybody, regardless of how this one happened?

m
m
12 years ago

@ JimS

Well…yes and no.

liz
liz
12 years ago

by way of an interview with someone from the SPD:

http://www.kirotv.com/videos/news/police-warn-public-after-c

Jak
Jak
12 years ago

I think the point Amy is making is from the perspective of the victim (or victims in general). Imagine if you were just sexually assaulted and you had people speculating as to the circumstances without actually knowing. People’s imaginations say a lot about them, their perspectives, their own experiences, and how they are judging the situation; they say nothing about the victim’s experiences or what actually happened. To be honest, it is completely irrelevant to the commenters whether or not the victim met a guy online, is gay (which has not actually been established), wasn’t paying attention, etc. The guy was sexually assaulted. The emotional and medical trauma (not to mention possibility of STDs) is enough for this poor guy. While you may not expressly blame the victim with your speculations, tone, line of questioning, and lack of concern for the victim, they certainly would make any victim feel shame and guilt.

I think people should think about what they are saying. Your speculations and questions do, in fact, imply that the victim somehow set himself up for this or was careless. This is crap and completely irrelevant to supporting the victim. You could make better formed statements that unequivocally support the victim and in no way cast blame on him and make the same point.

And to the people posting comments about having the police get in contact with the resident manager for their statements in the guise of showing concern for their community…why don’t you walk yourself to the police station and make a statement yourself if you’re so concerned? Take some responsibility and if you know something, contact the police. If you’re just going to tell them you were in the building at 1:30 (or whatever), why? Who cares? You didn’t see anything or hear anything, so what use are you? Also, despite the fact that you may think you’re being “anonymous,” you give far too many details about who you are and your relative position to the victim. It doesn’t take much to figure this out. Jesus people, think first!

B
B
12 years ago

I’m puzzled by the speculation that this was a “hookup gone wrong”. Even if it was, I don’t see how that in any way mitigates assault and rape.

That aside, it is entirely possible that the perp accosted the victim in the stairwell or even outside the building at knifepoint and forced him into his apartment. This is as good a time as any to link to this excellent essay on violence and self-defense (it’s long, but everyone should read it. Really):

http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/the-truth-about-violence/

In short, if someone uses the threat of violence to control your movement and (especially) to move you into a more secluded location, you should fight your impulse to comply, and do everything you can to run like hell. If someone is willing to chase you down in public and shoot or stab you while fleeing, then they almost certainly had plans to do worse with you once they had you alone and restrained.

Joe
Joe
12 years ago

Im a single male who lives in this building. I was up at that time just watching TV and didn’t hear a thing. I had no idea anything happened until late yesterday when there were all these news vans outside. The coffee place is a local police hang-out so seeing a lot of police cars outside is not unusual.
This building has security cameras that are working so I assume the assailant was caught on video.
Why hasn’t the manager/owners contacted us with any information? At the least a note or something would be appropriate.

Alan Motley
12 years ago

You bring up a good point! I wonder if there is a way to look at the video feeds!

Ella
Ella
12 years ago

I saw a video on king 5 they have signs posted in the building that show there are cameras! I agree the manager needs to contact ALL residents and shouldn’t be relying on the CHS blog or local news stations to deliver this information.

Joe
Joe
12 years ago

Yes, there is a way too look at the feeds. Its all recorded so I assume the police have it.

ex party boy
12 years ago

I don’t think think a “hook up gone wrong” mitigates it at all.

I used to be quite sexually active, and hooked up with a guy late at night on the street once. We went back to my place, and he got weird. Told me that AIDS didn’t exist, and that he was a cop. Then he tackled me, and tried to assault me. I fought him off, and got him pretty good, so he took off.

I was young and dumb, and didn’t really have the presence of mind to regard it as attempted rape, although in retrospect it very much was. I guess I just didn’t think guys could be raped.

I give this guy credit for both brains and courage. Even if I had put the pieces together, I don’t know if I would have called the cops.

Bano
12 years ago

The speculation is because of the scant details provided. It says the assault happened in the apt. Yet it doesn’t say it was a break in. So, how did the rapist get in the apt.? People have speculated, if it wasn’t a break in, perhaps it was someone the guy met online. That’s what I thought, precisely because a break in wasn’t mentioned.

I don’t see why that “mitigates” a rape. It doesn’t. It’s just a possible reason why this attack may have happened.

Definitely agree on fighting and/or running away; that’s what I did the last time I was mugged.

ixoxeles
12 years ago

I believe the Manager’s first priority was indeed to aid the police, review the footage and get it over to them. The communication is probably being run through the property owner before they are posted.

B
B
12 years ago

Re mitigation–After closer reading of the comments to which I was responding generally, you guys are right. I don’t think anybody was really making that claim, here.

I do really wish the relevant details were made available. If there is a home invader out and about in our neighborhood, I’d really like to know it.

Liz
Liz
12 years ago

I agree with B. Living only a few blocks from this building, I’d really, really like to know whether this perpetrator broke into the apartment, or forced the guy into his apartment with the knife, or whatever. No one invites or deserves rape and this is horrible not matter how it occurred but I and many of my neighborhood sure would like a better understanding of how the rapist managed to get into what is by many accounts a very secure building. The vagueness of the report is just really unsettling.

calhoun
12 years ago

It does seem possible, or even more than likely, that this was a “hook-up gone wrong.” If someone chooses to engage in risky behavior like inviting total strangers from the internet (or the street) into their home, then they will suffer the consequences…eventually.

I am NOT saying the guy deserved to be raped, and hope that the perp is found soon and spends alot of time in prison.

Joe
Joe
12 years ago

I would like to know if there is a crazy man rapist on the lose or mot?
Did this person actually attack this guy outside his apartment or was he let in?
I know if this guy was attacked either way its still an attack, I just want to know if there is a reason to be worried about a violent knife wielding man rapist on the lose. Any news??

Alan Motley
12 years ago

Interesting how this story kind of just went away…

jseattle
jseattle
12 years ago

Our latest update is here from Wednesday
http://www.capitolhillseattle.com/2011/11/16/blotter-ugly-as

We’re asking for more info from police but it’s difficult to get details on sex assault investigations that are open and active.

ConcernedResident
12 years ago

The victim is a good friend of mine. This was not a hook up gone wrong. This was a violent sexual assault, that has caused a great amount of harm.

ConcernedResident
12 years ago

Also, the rapist was not let into the building by the victim.

Eric
Eric
12 years ago

Has the victim told you anything about how the assailant entered his apartment? Most apartment building like that include peep holes in doors to each apartment.

I know that if someone knocked on my door at that time of the morning and I had not buzzed them in from the front gate I would not have just opened my door.

Know if the assailant entered through force by kicking the door open or something like that would be nice so that the public can be aware of just how dangerous this man is.

somebody that heard something

I hear the victim was actually a woman and has a male name. and that the guy climbed up through the balcony and they don’t want to scare people so they have been holding this back

dad
dad
12 years ago

Another week gone by and no progress from the police. I’m the victim’s father. This, and moreso other details that I can’t share, have me rather peeved with SPD.

Regarding the building’s security … I’ll observe that the apartments have patios, and there are trees that grow close to those patios. Through the sliding glass door and you’re in the apartment. As safety matter, are you sure you keep that door locked every minute of every day? Whether the victim did is not even relevant — evildoer only needs 1 such door and then can go through the building to wherever he wants.

In similar vein, if the attacker walked in through the doors, it need not have been the victim who opened them. Anybody, any time, who let someone into the building behind them could have let the attacker in. And, if the victim, it could have been done in exactly that same way. No knowledge or relationship between the two. Alan: ‘logic’ only gets you anywhere if you start with correct premises.

Not to pick on Alan, but he wrote at more length so I’m more confident as to what he means … What compassion is it that is shown by, for example, the first thing to say being to doubt the victim’s report (as reported through the police to here)? That’s not compassion, nor is the self-described ‘skepticism’. And certainly not that your hope that the victim is ok taking third place behind your doubts and belief that the building is secure.

This whole line of response is not exactly to blame the victim. I agree with that. It’s something else — the very common matter of people who are near a bad event doing what they can to minimize it _to themselves_. The victim is actually pretty irrelevant. ‘the building is secure’ and ‘the victim must have let the attacker in’ kind of comments aren’t about the victim, it is about the writer trying to reassure himself that since _he_ doesn’t let anybody in the building, _he_ is safe. Comments about hookups or other things, likewise. Reassuring himself that _he_ is ok, because _he_ knows how to handle hookups (at least he thinks so).

Common as it is, it isn’t compassion. It isn’t something the victim could read and feel any better for having seen it. Sure isn’t something his parent can see and say ‘my, what good community my kid is in’.

For the others, the victim is out of the hospital and doing much better (and living elsewhere).