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Blotter | Man beaten unconscious by panhandlers, Seattle U class disturbance

  • Panhandler assault: An attacker dragged a bleeding man to the front steps of a Capitol Hill building and stomped on his head during an attack sparked by the victim taking too long to give him money, according to the Seattle Police Department.

A witness alerted police to the fight February 28 after seeing three people attacking the man near 10th Ave and E John, leaving the man with a concussion, severe cuts to his head, a possible broken jaw and sore ribs.


The man lost consciousness during the attack, but was eventually able to tell police what happened.

While walking along Broadway and E Olive Way just after 9 PM, the victim said he passed a large group of homeless kids sitting under an awning, according to the police report. As he walked by, two males and a female began talking with him and asked him for money, according to police.

Police say the man agreed and was searching for his money when the three transients began to complain about how long he was taking. Frustrated with their attitudes, the man told them he just wouldn’t give them any money, causing the transients to get angry, according to police.

The three youths then began chasing the man up E John Street where they caught him and beat him until he fell to the ground. One of the transients then dragged the man over to a set of stairs, laid his head on the edge and stomped on it, while yelling, “Give me all of your money!” according to police.

Police say the man, who was bleeding heavily, lost consciousness during the attack and was muttering unintelligible sentences when they arrived.

The victim described his attackers  as two white males and a female but couldn’t give police much to go on:

The first white male is approximately 6’1, Fu Manchu style beard, light colored clothes. The second male could only be describes as having dark hair and being short. The female is described as a young blonde female wearing her hair in a pony tail.

If you witnessed the attack last Thursday night, call 911 if you can provide more information.

  • Mentally ill man disturbs Seattle U classroom: A man was arrested Wednesday afternoon after freaking out Seattle University law students with his actions after wandering into their classroom:

Man Arrested After Disturbance at Seattle University
Officers arrest a man for trespassing after he caused a disturbance during a class at Seattle University today. 

At approximately 1:19 p.m. officers responded to a 911 call of a disturbance involving a suspicious man who had entered a Seattle University classroom (while class was in session) and proceeded to disrupt the class.  The suspect began talking incoherently and turned over tables and other classroom furniture.  Seattle University (SU) security responded to the classroom and told the suspect to leave.  Security escorted the suspect out of the building and off campus.  No students or staff were injured during the disturbance.

Upon officers’ arrival in the area the suspect was being followed by SU security at 10th Avenue and East Union Street.  Officers contacted the suspect and took him into custody without further incident.  Seattle Police believe that mental illness may have contributed to the man’s unlawful conduct.

The suspect, a 38-year-old male, was subsequently booked into the King County Jail for Criminal Trespassing.

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A
A
11 years ago

I’ve traveled all over the world, and never have I seen a city with more aggressive panhandlers and transients than Seattle (also more in quantity). I was even just in Rio, which is notoriously dangerous, and felt more safe there than in many parts of this city at night (not saying that transients are the only problem, but part of it). There has got to be something we can do to clean things up.

calhoun
calhoun
11 years ago

Wow, talk about “aggressive panhandling.” This has to be about the most horrendous example ever. I hope the victim is recovering physically, but it will probably take him a long time to recover from the fear. I assume the location of the street urchins was on the NW corner of Broadway and John/Olive….under the Rite Aid awning, as there has been a group congregating there lately after the store closes. Why are the police allowing this? The next time I see them there, I will call 911 to report them, as that might be the only way the police will do their job. And I ask others to do the same.

This is yet another example of why it’s best to just keep walking on by when panhandlers request money, especially if they are part of a group. Those who give money to panhandlers are not “helping” them….they are enabling them to continue living their “street lifestyle.”

amy
amy
11 years ago

I saw that group there on the 25th, sitting against the Rite Aid. I’m almost positive it’s the same group of people, but unfortunately I wouldn’t be able to give the police any more details. I walked by and the girl said “Sir, can you spare some change?” and I kept walking, assuming she was talking to someone else, since I am not a “sir.” Then she yelled “Or you can just ignore us, that’s fine!” I’m glad I didn’t give them any money, but I wish I’d looked at them so I could help police track them down. And I agree, police should be patrolling that area. I don’t feel safe walking by there alone at night, especially on weeknights when there aren’t as many other people walking around Broadway.

Pod
Pod
11 years ago

Part of it is that this cities coddles its homeless population. This city has a lot of easily-accessible resources for homeless people – which is good – but it is taken advantage of. There are many transients that move here from other cities to become homeless here because the resources are so much more easily accessable then in their home city.

The other part is that drugs like meth, crack, and heroin are very easy to obtain in this city.

Geoff
Geoff
11 years ago

I agree, but is it illegal to sit under that sign? They’re just standing there until they do something like this. If you call the cops what are they going to do? just stand there? Actually that wouldn’t be the worst idea…

I give to organizations, but never to individuals. I think it’s the best policy.

tco
tco
11 years ago

Actually enforcing the panhandling rules might be a good start. Barring that perhaps some preemptive ass-kicking of the grungy bastards. Yes, it sounds harsh, but this just infuriates me!

shotsix
11 years ago

It seems crazy that this could happen on a relatively busy street at 9pm. I walk that route every night usually after 10pm, and I always see at least a few people…and definitely traffic. I would just run down the middle of the street if I felt threatened, the sidewalk does feel cutoff at points.

That being said, somebody must have witnessed a beating of that magnitude at such a busy spot. Shame on them for not doing anything, and I hope they feel guilty for a long time. In public, we are responsible for looking out for each other…unless you’re a sociopath.

Christine
11 years ago

That poor guy – you just don’t magically recover from the traumatic brain injury he suffered. These shitheads have dramatically changed this man’s life, and I would hope that they’ll get what’s coming to them, but in this life, probably not.

One Person
11 years ago

was on gun control before he was attacked. I wonder what it is now.

Regardless, I wish him a speedy, and full, recovery.

anita
11 years ago

I lived on Cap Hill 18 years ago. Part of why I left was these aggressive street kids. I was harassed every time I walked down Broadway, and as a single woman, I felt unsafe even in broad daylight. I’m saddened to read that their behavior has escalated to this point. My thoughts are with the victim. I hope he has insurance and can make a good recovery.

Another Person
11 years ago

I think about incidents like this when I hear the debate about the use of cameras in public areas. Would anyone be sorry to hear that this group had been picked up on CCTV and there were good videos from which they could be identified?

PAUL
11 years ago

So sorry to hear about this incident. Obviously this is an isolated incident, we don’t typically hear about street youths stomping someones head in.

If you dont like the homeless THEN GET THE F OUTA HERE. More dangerous than Rio my ass, only a complete fool would make such a statement. Rio favelas are/were by gangs armed with assault guns.

In Seattle, you’re a million more times likely to be hit by some freak motorist on a cell phone while you’re walking to the store or coffee shop than be approached by an aggressive panhandler, let alone attacked.

Aggressive panhandlers? No, you’re just a big whimp.

nick
11 years ago

It’s just gotten worse over the 13 or so years I’ve lived in Capitol Hill. It used to be mainly just on Broadway, and even then, everyone was pretty passive about it. Now, it seems like nearly every street has a group of these shitbags hanging out, just loitering and bothering passers by, arguing loudly late into the night, letting their dogs act aggressive toward anything that not part of their little crew. I’m more than sick of it. These kids aren’t looking to better themselves. At least, not anytime soon. During the time it took me to get a bachelors degree, I used to walk by the SAME girl, everyday to school. After 4 years, what had changed? Nothing. She was still there. After 4 fucking years!? I used to have patience with folks in need and now I just feel like a calloused asshole wishing them the worst. I don’t give anyone on the street shit anymore. It’s a waste.

Sarnt
11 years ago

“Whimp”? Bro, the dude in the story got his head stomped on by 3 people, one of whom was 6’1″! So f*ck you!

Sarnt
11 years ago

Yeah, I don’t get why homeless youth are allowed to keep dogs. It seems like a public nuisance. They usually have pretty intimidating dogs, too. Like German shepherds and pit bulls. Banning that would be a good start. And just not allowing them to loiter together in large groups.

RS
RS
11 years ago

I’ve specifically avoided that corner myself various times, and have also given some ladies heads-up to take the long way round. There also seems to be a growing street youth population hanging outside of the back of the N Broadway QFC and at the library. (Last week, I had one guy follow me for almost a block, trying to talk to me after I said that I had no money, before I turned back and went into QFC.) And while I love the idea of Black Coffee Co-Op… I quickly stopped attending and avoid walking by it for similar reasons down on Pine.

I don’t think Seattle is dreadfully dangerous, but all of us should be able to walk down the street without being assaulted. It also makes me feel bad for the Real Change and similar homeless population that are trying – goodness knows they don’t need to be tied in with this community. I’m really interested to see what (if any) response the SPD has on this.

One Person
11 years ago

I would rather see efforts focused on prevention as opposed to reaction. Cameras would possibly have helped in terms of identification but, and I’m guessing here, I’m fairly certain that they would provide no measure of comfort to the victim in this case.

Not being from Capitol Hill I cannot reasonably suggest an exact approach but it sounds like the area around Rite-Aid could use a little more police presence.

sarnt
11 years ago

He’s not saying the victim here was a wimp. He’s saying that seattle panhandlers are not really aggressive.

I’ve definitely seen panhandlers snap at people or give sarcastic responses to people who decline to give them money. I dunno if I’d say seattle panhandlers are especially aggressive as a group. But I do get hit up a lot.

ERF
ERF
11 years ago

“… Black Coffee Co-Op …”, don’t get me started. Singing/screaming/drum circle at 11pm middle of the week.

sdb
sdb
11 years ago

@geoff, it’s probably not legal to loiter on the sidewalk.

ERF
ERF
11 years ago

They have dogs and stay in groups for safety. The shelters are not safe places for the weaker hobo.

LE
LE
11 years ago

As someone who has lived in major cities and traveled to major cities quite extensively, Seattle and Portland has the worst panhandler problem. I think it is partly because of the mild weather. But it is crap here in Seattle and we should not have to deal with being threatened or yelled out when walking on our streets.

Frank
11 years ago

This is part of the reason I am voting McGinn’s ass out! Besides being a car hating hippy, he ignores real issues like this, and instead choses to attack the police for enforcing the laws. Which would you rather have, more police or being afraid to walk down the street in broad light let alone ANYTHING and not worry about getting the shit kicked out of you.

RainWorshipper
RainWorshipper
11 years ago

Part of the problem I see is that now the panhandlers will hang out in large groups and they get very aggressive. It is hard to shop at the QFC on Broadway and Pike late at night because you’re forced to walk right in front of a large group of them. Black Coffee Co-op also encourages them, inside and outside of the shop, making that sidewalk almost useless. On an average walk through the neighborhood I end up crossing sides of the street many times just to avoid confrontations. Something needs to be done, but I’m not sure what the answer is here.

Thomas
11 years ago

Don’t think of them as “homeless” or “aggressive panhandlers,” they are street people. Street people are on the streets for a reason. They are not Buddist Monks who have stripped themselves of all worldly possessions and dedicate themselves to a life of good spiritual values and helping others unconditionally in a kind and non-violent manner. Street people are drug addicts, alcoholics, emotionally unstable, unpredictable, and easy to become violent individuals. They have their own rules of behavior, which most of the time you and I would consider irrational and dangerous.

Do they walk up to you on Broadway, Pike, or Pine street and ask for career advice, a job application, or how to patch things up with Dad so they can go back home? No, they just want money, money, money. You got it and they want it.

Don’t talk, don’t respond, don’t get close, and don’t entertain them. Get real, they are not your friend. They are dangerous street people and that could have been your head getting smashed into the concrete steps. Your life is not worth a quarter.

Celia
11 years ago

I’ve lived in 11 countries. Only in Seattle, where I was born and raised and spent the majority of my teen years and later adult life, have I been assaulted. Living in the CD mostly, but also on Cap Hill and the U-District and always on the bus as I don’t drive, I can count 5 times in my life when I’ve been assaulted by aggressive panhandlers in Seattle. Slapped in the face, shoved, pushed up against a wall and once full out mugged, beaten and had my face and teeth broken. If you live in central Seattle or the U-district and you are on foot, you will have come across dangerous, mentally ill and just plain addicted thieves. The City Prosecutor declines to file charges more often than not on aggressive begging and stranger assaults, to save money. Someone should do a news story on just how many NCF “no complaint filed” cases are heard every single day in the Seattle courts. It’s shocking. With no enforcement, violent mugging is rampant and has been for quite a while. If you say you don’t hear about it very often, you’re not reading the news…or riding the bus.

ERF
ERF
11 years ago

Very true. Well put.

traj
11 years ago

The story about homeless kids beating that guy is a bunch of hogwash, a cover for a possible dispute over drugs or something and I don’t believe a word of it.

jonc
11 years ago

There is a certain “whimpiness” in people’s attitudes towards panhandling. Incidents like this one are rare, but you’ll hear wild exaggerations on the scope and degree on discussion boards like this one and in council meetings. I walk these streets all day, and smile at the occasional scrounger and move on. Some are more rude than others, but I’ve never been threatened or intimidated, and as a group they are better behaved than some of my neighbors. We really have more urgent problems.

loudvoices
11 years ago

Word on the surrounding streets of black coffee co-op is that the neighborhood is organizing an attempt have it shut down or at a minimum placed under increased scrutiny. Both businesses and regular folks are upset.

Im ok with anyone as long as you’re a good neighbor. Black coffee has yet to prove that it is.

Bax
Bax
11 years ago

18 years working with street youth in NYC, I learned the major circuit is weather related…San Francisco, Seattle, NYC…and they just rotate around these towns based on weather. They have lofty goals and dreams, but no clue as to how to achieve them. They will not quit using heroin/crack/meth by choice. They have nothing to lose and will do whatever it takes to make it to tomorrow. My suggestion is to NEVER give cash. It won’t buy food. This is from THEIR mouths, not mine.

Just sayin’

Wow!
11 years ago

It’s not as easy as , “patching things up with dad”. The reasons for youth homelessness go far beyond an individuals choice. They include foster care, abuse, homophobia and generational poverty. http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/youth.html

This is an awful attack, but criminalizing homelessness will do absolutely nothing to prevent crime or make our world better.

Also, it seems like the camera on the big red wall might of caught this attack.

Wow!
11 years ago

That’s a real possibility.

camille
camille
11 years ago

I feel so incredibly frustrated reading stories like this because for every scary agressive street person there are plenty of peaceful normal ones just trying to survive. I don’t know how we weed out the bad ones and I don’t want people to feel unsafe walking around. :( try to stay safe out there, guys. i’m shocked this attack didn’t have more witnesses.

calhoun
calhoun
11 years ago

If I’m not mistaken, the law in Seattle is that a person cannot SIT on a public sidewalk, whether they are panhandling or not (but of course usually they are). This would certainly make illegal the conduct of the street urchins under the Rite-Aid awning, and so if it continues we should report it and the police should intervene.

calhoun
calhoun
11 years ago

I agree with increased police patrols….it’s kind of unusual to see any bike officers these days on Broadway or any other part of Capitol Hill. But in general the police are not going to do much about a problem like the Rite Aid group, UNLESS citizens call 911 and report the illegal behavior. So CALL, already!

calhoun
calhoun
11 years ago

Excellent comment!

A
A
11 years ago

Completely agree- Capitol Hill needs more police presence in general, and focused on things that (shocker) might not make them money.

I’m a bit knew to starting community change, so who should we call/email to get more police in CH AND focused on protecting the community versus writing jaywalking tickets and 5 MPH over traffic stop fines?

If anyone knows who we should call/email/complain to PLEASE POST here so that we can start making some community change. I’m happy to be the first to call. :)

etvj
11 years ago

I don’t quite understand why so many homeless children choose to come to Seattle. How do I know this? Because when I have a to-go box from restaurants I’m commonly asked for it and I give it to them and ask where they’re from in a friendly manner and the answer is usually from other states. I would think they would pick San Diego or somewhere where it’s not so wet and chilly to live on the streets.

AG
AG
11 years ago

I can’t agree with this comment more. I live right off of summit and pine and the corner has changed DRAMATICALLY since Black Coffee opened. Aggressive and inebriated transients, weeknight noise, general boorishness, insults hurled at random people walking by. Many neighbors feel the same. It’s really sad and frustrating…Black Coffee is hurting their own cause by creating a very specific, negative image about what they support and who they represent. They could be and do so much more.

calhoun
calhoun
11 years ago

In my opinion, the phrase “criminalizing homelessness” is an overused and inaccurate cliché. No one is doing that or suggesting we do that. But some homeless people engage in criminal activity…sometimes violently, as in this incident…and they should be held accountable by enforcement of all our laws, which apply to everyone. The homeless don’t get a pass just because they are homeless.

Chris
11 years ago

CHS, thank you for your reporting on this. Is there any available update on the victim or suspects?

jseattle
jseattle
11 years ago

I’m working on an update but I don’t have anything new to report yet

Sarnt
11 years ago

RE: I don’t really care *why* they have dogs. I’m just saying that if you are homeless, you shouldn’t be allowed to have a dog. The problem of homelessness is not something I would even attempt to solve here on a discussion board. But why let homeless youth keep dogs? Don’t we round up *stray* dogs and take them to a shelter? If a dog lives with a group of homeless youth, it is essentially “stray”. These youth going around with dogs seem to be a public nuisance. I’d let it go if it were a little yippy dog kept for companionship, but no — as you say — they keep these dogs for protection (and therefore the dog are usually big breeds like pit bulls and german shepherds).

Sarnt
11 years ago

You’d think they’d pick a place with better weather, like Southern California. But no. I’m from SoCal and it is WAY to homeless-unfriendly down there. San Diego is actually a pretty conservative town. And while LA is sort of liberal, the “sh*tty” parts of town where homeless are allowed and where services are available are filled with hardened, adult street people, permanent homeless, drug addicts, crazy people and gangs. So the “street urchin” youth we see here in Cap Hill and in places like Portland and SF probably avoid SoCal because of those reasons. Here, they’re coddled and can live a relatively comfortable existence, instead of looking over they’re shoulder every two seconds.

DannyZippers
11 years ago

Paul, I find your statement troubling. First, your misspelled assessment of the commenter illustrates either that you have little understanding of the depth of Seattle’s homeless problem, or that you are truly a bionic badass in the Phoenix Jones vein. I agree that the vast majority of interactions I have with street people here are benign. However, I understand that mental illness, drug addiction, and desperation do cause people to behave erratically, making them dangerous – even if the aggressor appears to be smaller or in poor condition. I’m 6’3”, 200 pounds, and there are plenty of people to whom I give a wide berth.

More concerning to me, however, is your statement that if the victim/commenter doesn’t “like the homeless THEN GET THE F OUTA HERE.” This is the epitome of closed-minded, provincial thinking that suggests that if one finds an element of life here unpleasant, he should simply accept it as an inmutable fact of life, or choose to find another place to live. I disagree. If more people actually gave a damn, we wouldn’t have half the problems that we face on a day-to-day basis.

Sarnt
11 years ago

RE: DannyZippers – Exactly. Thank you.

RE: sarnt (lowercase) – Dude, you stole my name!

Wow!
11 years ago

Sit and lie laws, like one comment suggests do criminalize homelessness. If sitting on a sidewalk is against the law and you have nowhere else to go, you have no choice but to break the law.

A
A
11 years ago

PAUL,

As for my Rio comment, my subjective opinion from visiting multiple parts of the city (rich and poor) was that I felt more safe there collectively than in some parts of Seattle (specifically dark corners of Capitol Hill and Downtown) at night. Seattle can do better, don’t you think? I think we should be wimpy and want better for our city rather than just “man-up” and take it.

I obviously wasn’t trying to compare all of the city to the most violent Rio favela (which I went to the favelas at night as well, and the people are friendlier there than they are here anyway…)

calhoun
calhoun
11 years ago

Sorry, wow, I disagree. Homeless people DO have other places to go and hangout…during the day there are dropin centers (such as Orion), and at night there are shelters…but many homeless avoid such places because they want to continue to drink and drug.

I grant you that “sit and lie” laws are a minor example of “criminalizing homelessness,” but what’s the alternative? If these laws did not exist, there would be many more homeless camping out on our streets. Is that what you want?

Wow!
11 years ago

The alternative is to actually do something about homelessness, rather than hiding it. The longer we criminalize and try to hide homelessness, the longer it will continue.

Haha
Haha
11 years ago

The self entitled garbage is accumulating, everywhere. Shift it around, relocate it, make excuses for it, give it more handouts and none of it helps. The only answer is to make it not be garbage, by repairing it or grinding it up into fertilizer.

The latter is far more practical.

Neighbor Lady
Neighbor Lady
11 years ago

Albeit slightly incomplete, two of those descriptions fit two homeless people that are always hanging out at night in front of Capitol Hill Pres Church several blocks away. Usually they look like they’re on crack or something, say weird shit to people and are generally creepy and lurchy. Can we have some enforcement of loitering / hard drug laws around here? I love the Hill and want it to remain safe.

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[…] also have raised concerns including this brutal March beating that nearly cost a man his eye or the murky details around this February assault reportedly involving a man seriously injured in a fight with panhandlers. Nearby, violence in the […]