Man accused of stabbing five in Seattle ordered held on $2M bail

SEATTLE — A 37-year-old man who police say stabbed five people in Seattle in broad daylight Friday and possibly four others the day before made his first court appearance Saturday where a judge ordered him held on $2 million bail.

“People who live in and travel to the Chinatown-International District deserve to feel safe and be safe,” King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion said after the judge found probable cause to hold the man on five counts of first-degree assault.

Nine felony convictions

In setting the high bail amount, the judge noted that the man had a warrant out for his arrest. He also has nine felony convictions in Washington, including four car thefts, possession of stolen property, robbery and attempted burglary, according to the probable cause report.

The case is still under investigation and has not been referred to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for a charging decision, spokesperson Casey McNerthney said Saturday. The office expects to receive the case by Thursday, he said.

Four of the five victims were taken to Harborview Medical Center on Friday. One man who was in critical condition was upgraded to serious, while two others remain in serious condition in the Intensive Care Unit, Susan Gregg, spokesperson for the hospital, said Saturday. Another male patient was in satisfactory condition, she added.

Police said they recovered two knives soiled with what appeared to be blood in the parking lot where the man was arrested. A third knife was lodged in a victim’s back when he was taken to the hospital, court records said.

Seattle police said they believe the man was also involved in at least four other stabbings in the same area on Thursday. He fit the descriptions of the suspect and the attacks were also random, like Friday’s assaults. More charges may be added, police said.

Police used witness descriptions to take the man into custody. He had what appeared to be blood on his hands and shoes, police said.