Suspect detained after stabbing attacks in Seattle: Police

Five people were stabbed in Seattle on Friday, police said, the latest in a series of stabbings in the same area over the past two days.

A suspect was taken into custody following Friday’s seemingly random stabbing, Seattle Deputy Police Chief Eric Barden told reporters at a news conference.

Police said the suspect, whose name has not been released, is believed to be connected to several recent stabbings.

Seattle police said the latest stabbing occurred Friday afternoon in the 1200 block of South Jackson Street in the Chinatown-International District.

Four of the victims were transported to a local hospital under varying conditions, including one who still had a knife, Barden said. The fifth victim was treated at the scene and released, police said.

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A man matching the description given by witnesses was located nearby and was arrested without incident, Barden said. It was stated that a gun was also seized from the suspect.

“This is a terrible tragedy, a mass casualty event,” Barden said.

In addition to the five victims in this incident, five other people were stabbed in the area over a roughly 38-hour period, according to Seattle police.

Police said the suspect is believed to be linked to four of those stabbings, with one still under investigation.

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Police said the first incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday and saw a 52-year-old woman stabbed eight times.

Three more stabbings involving male victims occurred on Thursday, police said. Two of the victims were stabbed multiple times. The other victim told police the attacker tried to stab him in the chest, but he managed to block the attack, although he cut his hand, police said. The victim’s cell phone was also stolen, police said.

Another stabbing occurred early Friday, with one victim bleeding “heavily from his neck” and being transported to a local hospital in serious condition, police said.

Barden said beyond the robbery incident, the stabbings appeared to be “just random attacks.”

“This incident was an individual apparently committing random attacks over the course of 38 hours. This is an aberration. This is not normal at all,” Barden said. “I think we’re back to normal with a suspect in custody.”

Suspect detained after stabbing attacks in Seattle: Police originally appeared abcnews.go.com