Man accused of luring, sexually assaulting teen in Seattle's Northgate neighborhood
Man accused of luring, sexually assaulting teen in Northgate
A 35-year-old man is in jail, accused of trying to lure a teen girl into the woods near a bus stop and sexually assaulting her in Seattle's Northgate neighborhood.
SEATTLE - A 35-year-old man was arrested, accused of trying to lure a teen girl into the woods and sexually assaulting her in Seattle's Northgate neighborhood.
It happened near a very busy bus stop next to the Northgate Mall. Seattle police say the suspect tried to drag the girl away in an effort to conceal the crime.
"It’s terrifying, like it’s awful that people are willing to do that or like thinking of doing that in such a communal area," said Abigail Sanchez, who works nearby. "Not that far from here is the library, not that far from here I know there are more clinics down that way there is a bunch of homes and stuff."
A wooded area near the Northgate bus stop off Northeast 103rd Street. (FOX 13 Seattle)
What they're saying:
Neighbors were shocked to hear about the alleged crime, which happened around 9 a.m. along Northeast 103rd Street.
"My sister could have been on her way to school as well, it could have just been anyone and that’s terrifying. Especially in a busy area where there’s a bunch of schools nearby," Sanchez said.
When police arrived, they found the girl with minor injuries and the suspect gone, having ran away from the scene.
"Shocking to hear we never have any trouble in this area, this is the first time anything has happened around here," said neighbor Alex Bustillos.
The bus stop near where a teen girl was allegedly assaulted in the Northgate neighborhood on May 4, 2026. (FOX 13 Seattle)
Dig deeper:
A couple of hours after the initial call, just before 11 a.m., police said they tracked the man down off of Aurora Avenue and North 115th Street and made the arrest.
The suspect was booked into jail for investigation of rape and kidnapping. Police said he also had multiple warrants out of Snohomish County and Puyallup Municipal Court.
Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes issued the following statement about the incident:
"Today’s incident is unacceptable. Our children should be able to travel safely and enjoy their youth without fear. As a community, we need to fully support our victims now and in the future. We need to prosecute those responsible for stealing our most vulnerable people’s sense of safety, and work together to stop this from happening again," said Chief Shon Barnes. "To victims of sexual assault, this City is here to support you. Please know that there are resources available at Seek Then Speak or the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center."
Local perspective:
Those who commute through the area say they'll be paying more attention.
"I walk through to the bus and link every day," said Chris Powers, who lives nearby. "Just to be aware of my surroundings, and make sure, not just be on my phone, actually just taking a look."
Cars driving along Northeast 103rd Street in Northgate. (FOX 13 Seattle)
"Just always be aware you know," said Sanchez. "We as girls are told to make sure our music is not too loud, have something in hand that we can throw. Whatever, we have just drop and run if we are ever being forced or someone is trying to talk to us in an unsafe manner."
The backstory:
The King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office says the suspect's arrest history includes a 2024 robbery arrest after he allegedly tried to steal a bike in Shoreline. He was also arrested in 2025 after being accused of biting a security guard in a shoplifting incident.
He was also arrested in Snohomish County earlier this year for a domestic violence assault warrant and suspected possession of fentanyl.
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The Source: Information in this story came from the Seattle Police Department and original FOX 13 Seattle reporting and interviews.