SEATTLE — A 37-year-old man has been charged with five counts of assault following a series of random Seattle stabbings that injured five people in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District last week, prosecutors said Thursday.
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Roland Jerome Lee faces four first-degree assault charges and one fourth-degree assault charge. He is accused of attacking five victims within a four-block radius in broad daylight, leaving four in critical condition.
Victims and Hospitalization
Four of the victims were transported to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition. One male victim remains hospitalized in stable condition, according to hospital spokesperson Susan Gregg. A fifth victim was treated at the scene and released.
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Legal Proceedings
Lee is currently being held on $2 million bail and is scheduled for arraignment on November 27, said Casey McNerthney, spokesperson for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Will Casey, a spokesperson for the King County Department of Public Defense, declined to comment on the case at this stage.
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Additional Investigations
Seattle police are also investigating Lee’s possible involvement in at least four other stabbings in the same area the day before the attacks. These incidents, similar to Friday’s assaults, appear to have been random.
“Other stabbings remain under investigation with Seattle Police,” McNerthney said in an email. “King County prosecutors can make additional charging decisions if those cases are referred to our office.”
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Details of the Attacks
The attacks began around 2 p.m. last Friday, according to a probable cause statement. Witnesses reported that Lee randomly targeted individuals:
- Incident 1: A man was stabbed in the back and hospitalized with four stab wounds.
- Incident 2: The suspect allegedly proceeded to stab three other people standing at a street corner.
- Incident 3: Video evidence showed Lee walking behind another man and stabbing him in the back. The victim fell to the ground with the knife still lodged in his back, police said.
Police arrested Lee nearby and reportedly found what appeared to be blood on his hands and shoes. Two knives were recovered at the scene.
Criminal History
Lee has a history of criminal activity in Washington state, including nine felony convictions for crimes such as car theft, possession of stolen property, robbery, and attempted burglary, according to court documents.
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Police Statement
“This incident was apparently one individual over a 38-hour period of time committing random assaults,” Deputy Chief Eric Barden said last week.
The case remains under investigation, and prosecutors may pursue additional charges as new evidence emerges.