'Forced to clean up her own blood:' Court docs detail assault of Seattle woman inside her own apartment
Man holds woman hostage at knifepoint inside her Seattle apartment
A woman in the International District neighborhood went through a terrifying ordeal early Tuesday morning after a Seattle man allegedly forced his way into the apartment she was living in, trapped her there and assaulted her.
SEATTLE - A woman in the International District neighborhood went through a terrifying ordeal early Tuesday morning after a Seattle man allegedly forced his way into the apartment she was living in, trapped her there and assaulted her.
The woman told police she tried to escape twice after the suspect had fallen asleep in the apartment. It wasn't until her second attempt that she was able to flee from the building and flag down an officer outside.
Investigators say 57-year-old Lawrence Eugene Askew, also known as "New York," appeared to have befriended her, then pushed his way into her apartment.
"She stated that the male forced her into her apartment, and he held a knife against her throat," said Shawn Weismiller, an officer with the Seattle Police Department.
The woman reported meeting him Monday at around 9 p.m. at the Circle K on South Dearborn Street. Court documents show that he "invited her to come over to his apartment he has been squatting in."
She said that was the same apartment complex that she was living in. The woman then told police, "that she is in the process of taking over the lease from her friend... who is the listed tenant." She said that Askew, "decided he wanted to take over her unit instead of the one he has been squatting in."
From that point, he's accused of putting a knife to her throat, taking her keys and holding her captive in her apartment. She said that she was sexually assaulted, and he knocked out one of her teeth. During the assault, he also struck her so hard that she was left with a 1.5-inch gash on her head, according to court documents. She said he also forced her, " to clean up her own blood from the unit floors...."
"She tried to escape and was unable to and male suspect threatened to kill her and her son, when the male fell asleep, she was able to escape and flag down officers," said Weismiller.
The woman found patrol officers about a block away from the complex at S King and 12th. As she fled, she told police she grabbed "a photocopy of Askew’s ID, which was in his belongings by the door." She wanted investigators to be able to identify him, since she knew him only as "New York".
When police arrived, they say he barricaded himself in the apartment. After officers got a warrant, SWAT arrested him.
"I just think it’s an everyday thing now. Kind of a sign of the times," said Derek Letoh, who has friends in the same apartment building. He said it's a newly constructed building and a nice complex.
"There is nowhere safe anymore. It’s as safe as we make it. I hope the person is okay though," said Letoh.
The woman also reported that during the assault, Askew made comments about how much he hated women.
He's been booked for unlawful imprisonment, assault, harassment and other crimes.