Employees attacked at Edmonds, WA massage parlor; man arrested
Judge sets $1M bail after Edmonds spa attack; suspect said he meant to kill
A man who allegedly attacked two women in an Edmonds spa is now facing multiple attempted murder charges after telling police he was upset he failed to kill them.
EDMONDS, Wash. - A 48-year-old man was arrested for attempted murder after an alleged violent attack on two employees at an Edmonds massage parlor on Sunday night, police said.
What we know:
The incident happened before 5:45 p.m. at the Eva Spa Massage on Edmonds Way.
Investigators said the suspect, a former customer, was recognized by an employee as he approached the spa. Surveillance video shows the man forcing his way into the business, locking the door behind him. The employee at the entrance then moved away.
According to police, the suspect began to assault the employee as she retreated into a room where the second employee was working with a customer. The suspect then attacked both employees with a metal coat rack.
"[He] violently assaulted two employees that were there," said Edmonds Police Commander Josh McClure. "A customer that was being given a massage at the time was able to escape."
Both victims escaped, but the suspect followed them and continued to assault them before leaving the scene. When officers arrived, they found the victims unconscious.
They were taken to the hospital to be treated for their laceration and injuries to their faces and head.
According to police, multiple witnesses told officers the suspect fled across the street and was in the parking lot of another business complex. Officers located the suspect, who was wearing gloves and had blood dripping from them, and he was taken into custody without incident.
Police said as they were handcuffing him, the suspect made statements that "he was upset that he did not kill the victims." Court records state the suspect admitted to officers after his arrest: "I’m very displeased that I didn’t kill those ladies, but I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t do it. I didn’t even bring a blade."
Contrary to his story, court documents show during an officer-conducted frisk, a Leatherman knife was removed from his pocket.
The customer told investigators he heard the suspect make statements indicating that this was a targeted incident. He was not hurt during the attack.
The suspect, identified as an Edmonds man in his late 40s, was booked into the Snohomish County Jail. He refused to appear for his first court hearing on Monday, and a judge set his bail at $1 million. He's scheduled to have another hearing Tuesday afternoon.
Police are still investigating what led up to the attack. Anyone who may have seen the suspect leaving the business is asked to call the Edmonds Police Department at 425-407-3999 or leave tips at policetips@edmondswa.gov.
The Source: Information in this story came from the Edmonds Police Department.
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