SEATTLE — A 37-year-old resident of Seattle has been charged with five counts of assault following a series of random stabbings that occurred in broad daylight last week, as reported by local prosecutors.
Roland Jerome Lee is accused of attacking five individuals while they were on the sidewalk within a four-block radius of Seattle’s Chinatown-International District. He faces four counts of first-degree assault and a single count of fourth-degree assault.
Among the victims, four were transported to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition, while one victim received treatment at the scene and was later released. Currently, one of the hospitalized men remains at Harborview and is reported to be in stable condition, according to a hospital spokesperson.
Lee’s bail has been set at $2 million, and he is scheduled to appear for an arraignment on November 27, according to a representative from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
In regard to the ongoing case, a spokesperson from the King County Department of Public Defense stated they have no comments available at this time.
Law enforcement believes that Lee may also be linked to at least four additional stabbings that took place the day before the five recent assaults. He reportedly matched the description of the suspect, as those attacks were likewise random in nature.
“Additional stabbings are still under investigation by Seattle Police, and King County prosecutors can pursue further charges if these cases are passed along to our office,” said the spokesperson.
Lee has a significant criminal record in Washington state, which includes nine felony convictions encompassing offenses such as car theft, possession of stolen property, robbery, and attempted burglary, according to the provided probable cause report.
Emergency services were alerted around 2 p.m. last Friday about stabbings occurring in Chinatown. One more victim was discovered approximately a block away from the initial location, according to the police report.
A witness recounted to authorities that he observed the suspect approaching a man from behind and stabbing him in the back. That man subsequently required hospitalization due to four stab wounds. The witness reported following the suspect, who then attacked three others standing at a nearby corner.
Authorities stated that Lee also assaulted another man before attacking the group of three. Surveillance footage captured him approaching another individual and stabbing him in the back, leading to that person falling with the knife still embedded.
When police apprehended Lee, he appeared to have blood on his hands and shoes, and two knives were found in the vicinity.
“This incident reflects a single individual engaging in random assaults over a duration of 38 hours,” remarked Deputy Chief Eric Barden at the scene last week.