Man charged in concealed cane-sword attack in Seattle's CID neighborhood
SEATTLE, Wash. - Seattle Police arrested a 41-year-old man accused of attacking another man with a cane-sword.
A 51-year-old man suffered a cut to his face after being attacked with a concealed blade during an altercation in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District (CID) on Wednesday.
The incident happened in the 400 block of Eighth Avenue South. Seattle Police officers responded to reports of a stabbing and found the victim with a laceration to his lower jaw. First responders provided aid before the man was transported to Harborview Medical Center in stable, but serious condition.
Investigators say the weapon used was a two-foot blade concealed inside a cane.
"Looking at the cane, it looks like it may have been homemade," SPD Detective Brian Pritchard said. "When somebody gets cut with something like that, it's pretty intimidating to have a blade that long and have it concealed in a cane."
Police arrested a man accused of attacking a man with a sword and fleeing on a stunt bike in Seattle's Chinatown-International District. (Seattle Police Department)
The suspect, 41-year-old Terrell Jones Fisher, reportedly struck the victim after an argument escalated into violence. Fisher fled the scene on a BMX bike with a flat tire but was quickly apprehended at Hing Hay Park. Police recovered the weapon, though it’s unclear if it was left at the scene or if Fisher fled with it.
Fisher appeared in court Tuesday, where a judge found probable cause to charge him. Fisher has a history of assault and residential burglary convictions, and prosecutors argued he poses a continued threat. He is being held on $100,000 bail and has a pending assault case in Seattle Municipal Court.
CID safety concerns grow
The attack has heightened concerns about public safety in the CID, a neighborhood grappling with violent crime, drug activity, mental health illness and resale of stolen goods.
"We’ve been deploying emphasis patrols to try to make it safer," said Detective Pritchard.
The SPD has stationed additional officers in the neighborhood and occasionally deployed SWAT teams to address crime hotspots, including the intersection of 12th Avenue and South Jackson Street.
Those who work in the area say they've noticed a difference.
King County Metro cites 'safety issue' in temporary suspension of bus service
King County Metro has suspended bus service in all directions along 12th and Jackson in the Chinatown-International District as of Monday.
Efforts by Seattle Police to address crime and disorder in the Chinatown-International District (CID) are yielding results, according to Hunter Smith, who works clearing graffiti and picking up litter with the CID Business Improvement Area.
Smith credits the visible presence of officers for improving conditions in a neighborhood long plagued by drug activity, homelessness, and public safety concerns.
"It’s just been getting better and better up there," Smith said. "I mean, there’s still a lot of homeless presence and drug presence, but with the police officers stepping by, everybody scatters because they know that they’re going to at least try to get them, so it’s a huge impact. It helps with our job a lot."
Smith emphasized the importance of continued patrols to address ongoing challenges in the area, particularly in high-traffic locations such as Hing Hay Park and the alleyways nearby.
"There’s a lot of mental illness and a lot of drug use," Smith explained. "For a while now, it seems like there are certain areas where people are able to kind of gather and go to, such as the alleyways [and] Hing Hay Park."
Smith praised the success of police efforts along 12th Avenue as he described the transformation saying, "I mean, there’s usually about 30 to 40 people who gather up on that sidewalk. As soon as they [officers] get there, they vanish. I believe an increase in police would actually help a lot, just because what they’ve done with 12th Avenue is just insane."
Smith suggested that extending similar patrols deeper into the core of the CID could have a significant impact.
"If they did more patrols like in the core of Chinatown, it actually might help and ease the individuals who own businesses around here," Smith said.
Fisher is scheduled for arraignment on Friday afternoon.
BEST OF FOX 13 SEATTLE
New 2025 laws that are now in effect in WA
Orca Tahlequah seen pushing second dead calf in WA waters
WA skiers demand action as 'rampant' thefts plague Stevens Pass
Here's when you'll need REAL ID to go through US airport security
New restaurants coming to Seattle in 2025
To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.
Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.