A South Seattle block turned tense Tuesday after a stabbing on the 6100 block of 4th Avenue South left one person with a wound to the face, according to police. The victim was taken to a hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening, while officers swarmed the area, set up a perimeter and focused on an apartment where the suspected attacker had barricaded themself inside.
As reported by KING 5, Seattle police said officers arrived at the scene and found the victim suffering from a facial stab wound that was not life-threatening. Investigators said the suspect retreated into an apartment unit, refused to come out and prompted the department to call in its Hostage Negotiation Team to try to talk the person into surrendering peacefully.
Negotiators called in
Seattle’s Hostage Negotiation Team responds to barricaded situations with a simple mission: open a line of communication and end the incident without force whenever possible. A review of the team’s work by the Office of Inspector General notes that negotiators are equipped with specialized tools and may spend hours patiently building rapport with a subject before reaching a safe resolution, according to the Office of Inspector General.
Status and next steps
At the time of reporting, police had not announced any arrests and negotiations with the barricaded suspect were still underway, according to KING 5. Seattle police said they plan to release additional details once the scene is cleared and investigators have finished processing the area.
How to help police
Anyone who witnessed the incident or has relevant video is asked to call the SPD Violent Crimes Tip Line at (206) 233-5000, according to the Seattle Police Department’s contact information. For non-emergencies and more ways to reach the department, visit the Seattle Police Department…