The male suspect has not been identified; Capitol Hill light rail station remains closed.
SEATTLE — Police are searching for the people responsible for a deadly stabbing at one of the city’s busiest light rail stations.
People are on high alert at the Capitol Hill light rail station on Sunday, just a day after a deadly encounter.
“I was definitely questioning whether I should take the train this morning,” said Emma Young, who was riding the Light Rail Sunday afternoon.
Police said a 37-year-old man was stabbed Saturday night just before 6 p.m. inside the station. He was taken to the hospital where he was declared dead.
KING 5 spoke with a witness who didn’t want to be identified. He said he saw two or three people attacking the victim.
“They kept attacking him,” the witness told KING 5. “He was defending himself and he got pushed into the rails and they kept him from getting up by punching him. At least two of them were punching him, keeping him on the rails.”
KING 5 learned the victim was a chef at “Harry’s Fine Foods” on Capitol Hill. The restaurant confirmed the loss of its beloved employee and is closed until Tuesday to let its staff grieve and process what happened.
“Late last night, we received the devastating news that we lost a beloved member of the Harry’s Fine Foods team to a tragic crime,” said Julian Hagood and Jake Santelli, owners of Harry’s Fine Foods. “We have closed our doors to allow ample time to process, grieve and remember our dear friend and chef — a valued teammate and devoted individual who infused his passion into each and every dish he crafted. Our thoughts and love are with his family and friends during this unimaginable experience, most especially on a day we celebrate those that bring life into this world. We do ask for privacy for our staff at this time. For further information, please direct your inquiries to the Seattle Police Department.”
The man who saw the stabbing unfold said he believes this death could’ve been prevented.
“The city has failed him,” the witness told KING 5. “They might as well have murdered him themselves.”
A spokesperson with Sound Transit sent KING 5 an emailed statement regarding Saturday’s deadly stabbing:
“The safety of our passengers and staff is Sound Transit’s top priority. We take any event that threatens the safety of our passengers and staff very seriously. The stabbing at Capitol Hill station was horrifying and tragic, and we mourn the loss of this person’s life. We also know this alarming and tragic act understandably raises very real safety concerns. Even though violence around and on our system is exceedingly rare, passengers and staff want to know that they are safe when they are riding our trains.”
Sound Transit is committing $250 million to security contracts over six years. Officials said on-site security presence has nearly doubled since 2022. There are nearly 500 transit security officers and an additional 65 King County Sheriff’s officers who monitor the transit system.
The homicide Saturday is the third one to happen in the light rail system’s 15-year history. The previous incidents include a shooting at the Westlake station in 2019 and a shooting in February on board a train near Pioneer Square. Officials with Sound Transit said as of February 2024, there have been 47 assaults on light rail. During that same time, there were 3.4 million riders.
“You think taking the train or the bus you would be fine just on your normal route,” Young said. “And that happens (fatal stabbing) and it’s so unexpected… I’m very genuinely sorry that, that happened.”
Anyone with information about the stabbing is asked to call SPD’s Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000.
Sound Transit said its 1 Line trains are delayed and the Capitol Hill station is closed until further notice.
This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.
