Serious questions are being raised after a 26-year-old man, accused of attempting to push a stranger in front of an approaching light rail at Sound Transit’s Northgate station last week, was once deemed mentally unfit to stand trial for allegedly stabbing his sister in 2019, then released from a state mental hospital after that stabbing case was dismissed.
Elisio Melendez is now charged with attempted murder. An image captured from surveillance video of the Northgate incident shows the victim holding a cell phone with a messenger bag slung around his shoulders, standing on a platform facing the tracks. As the train approaches the victim from the right, Melendez’s arms appear to be extended, his hand is on the victim’s back, and his legs are leaning forward.
According to charging documents, the victim told investigators he felt a push from behind as the train was arriving at the station, but he was able to catch himself before falling. Deputies added the victim told them Melendez “pushed him again, but had no expression on his face while doing this and did not attempt to grab anything from him.” The victim told deputies he immediately began yelling at Melendez to get security’s attention and also chased after him…