Docs: Man followed & touched family at Pike Place, threatened to kill arresting officers

A man has been arrested for allegedly following and touching a family of four with young children at Pike Place Market before assaulting and threatening first responders. 

According to court documents, on March 11, the 32-year-old suspect walked up to the family at the Gum Wall and "touched all four victims in a manner that was unwanted" and in a way that made the parents "feel like it was for his own sexual gratification." 

The children were ages seven and nine. 

The family said they were touched on the shoulder and rubbed on the back, according to court documents. 

Before leaving the Gum Wall, the family said they yelled "please don't follow us" and "don't touch us." 

File photo of the Gum Wall in Seattle

The family walked around the block to a store, where the suspect followed them to and tried to enter. At one point, he "pushed into [the woman], contacting her arm in a lunging motion towards the children," according to court documents. 

The suspect left and when the family thought it was safe to leave, they left the store. The suspect was waiting for them when they left and continued to follow them. The man shoved the suspect away from his family, and the suspect hit his head through one of the store's windows. 

Pike Place Security detained the suspect while waiting for police to arrive.  

When officers arrived, he looked directly at one of them and stated several times that he was going to kill them, documents said. The suspect kept attempting to get up while he was detained, and that's when he kicked at officers and Pike Place Security, according to court documents. Documents said he was able to land two kicks on the Pike Place Security guard. 

While being transported in an ambulance, the suspect also spit on firefighters, officers and then later hospital staff, according to court documents. At that time, he threatened the life of a second officer and bit another, according to court documents. 

The suspect will be booked into King County Jail after he is released from the hospital. Court documents say he had two cuts on the right side of his head after going into the window. 

The suspect has been charged with two counts of felony harassment, third-degree attempted assault and fourth-degree attempted assault. 

A judge set bail at $50,000.