Seattle man faces 5 assault charges in random sidewalk stabbings

SEATTLE (AP) — A 37-year-old Seattle man was charged Thursday with five counts of assault in the random stabbings of five people in broad daylight last week, according to prosecutors.

Roland Jerome Lee is accused of stabbing five people as they stood on the sidewalk in a roughly four-block area in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District. He faces four first-degree assault charges and one count of fourth-degree assault.

Four of the victims were taken to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition and one victim was treated at the scene and released. One of the four male patients remains at Harborview and is in stable condition, hospital spokesperson Susan Gregg said Thursday.

Lee is being held on a $2 million bail. He's scheduled to be arraigned on Nov. 27, said King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office spokesperson Casey McNerthney.

Will Casey, spokesperson for the King county Department of Public Defense, said they have no comment about the case at this stage.

Seattle police believe Lee was also involved in at least four other stabbings in the same area the day before the five assaults. He fit the descriptions of the suspect and the attacks were also random, like Friday’s assaults.

“Other stabbings remain under investigation with Seattle Police, and King County prosecutors can make additional charging decisions if those cases are referred to our office,” McNerthney said in an email.

Lee has a criminal history in Washington state that includes nine felony convictions for car thefts, possession of stolen property, robbery and attempted burglary, according to the probable cause report.

Police were called at about 2 p.m. last Friday on reports that four people had been stabbed in Chinatown. Another victim was found about a block away, the probable cause statement said.

One witness told police that he saw the suspect walk up behind a man and stab him in the back. That man was hospitalized with four stab wounds. The witness said he followed the suspect as he walked up the street and then stabbed three people as they stood on a corner.

Police said Lee also stabbed another man before striking the group of three. Video shows him walking behind a person and stabbing him in the back. He fell to the ground with the knife still lodged in his back, police said.

Police took Lee into custody with what appeared to be blood on his hands and shoes, police said. They said they located two knives nearby.

“This incident was apparently one individual over a 38-hour period of time committing random assaults,” Deputy Chief Eric Barden said at the scene last week.

People wait for a bus near the area where multiple people were stabbed earlier Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, in the Chinatown-International District in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Police officers take a statement from a nearby business owner after multiple people were stabbed Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, in the Chinatown-International District in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Police officers stand near the scene as they gather security camera footage after multiple people were stabbed Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, in the Chinatown-International District in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Drivers move through the area where multiple people were stabbed earlier Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, in the Chinatown-International District in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Police officers gather security camera footage from nearby businesses after multiple people were stabbed earlier in the area Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, in the Chinatown-International District in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Police officers stand near the scene as they gather security camera footage after multiple people were stabbed in the area Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, in the Chinatown-International District in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

ASUNCION, Paraguay (AP) — Vinicius Júnior missed a second-half penalty as Brazil was held to a 1-1 draw at Venezuela on Thursday, leaving the Real Madrid star still without a goal in World Cup qualifying.

Vinicius Júnior had the chance to score a potential winner after he earned the penalty in the 67th minute but his low spot kick was saved by goalkeeper Rafael Romo and the Brazil forward then shot wide from the rebound.

Brazil had the best chances in the first half, with Vinicius hitting the post once after dribbling three Venezuelans and shooting from the edge of the box. But it was Raphinha who opened the scoring from a free kick in the 43rd minute.

Venezuela brought on 21-year-old Telasco Segovia at halftime and the substitution had an immediate effect as he equalized in the 46th minute with a powerful shot from the edge of the box.

Venezuela went down to 10 men in the 89th minute after Alexander Gonzalez was sent off for hitting both Gabriel Martinelli and Vinicius Júnior in the face.

The irrigation system then came on two minutes before the final whistle at the Monumental Stadium in the city of Maturin, 500 kilometers (310 miles) west of capital Caracas, which angered Brazil players.

The draw puts Brazil provisionally in third place in the 10-team standings with 17 points from 11 games. Vinicius Júnior has played six matches in South American World Cup qualifying, with one assist and no goals.

“When we don't win I leave the pitch a bit disappointed, we deserved to win this one,” Raphinha said after the match. “But it is an important point playing away, we are working hard to win the next one at home.”

Brazil will face Uruguay in Salvador on Tuesday, when Venezuela will play at Chile.

Later Thursday, Argentina played at Paraguay with the hosts having banned local fans from wearing any Lionel Messi shirts in the home crowd, while Ecuador hosted Bolivia.

TV footage of the match in Asuncion showed that the vast majority of the local crowd was wearing Paraguay's red and white colors, with no Messi shirts visible in the local broadcasts.

The 11th round of South American World Cup qualifying will continue on Friday with second-placed Colombia visiting Uruguay and the bottom two teams in the standings, Peru and Chile, facing off in Lima.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Venezuela's Telasco Segovia, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's first goal against Brazil during a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer match at Monumental stadium in Maturin, Venezuela, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

Brazil's Raphinha, center, celebrates with teammate Vinicius Junior, right, after scoring his side's opening goal against Venezuela during a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer match at Monumental stadium in Maturin, Venezuela, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

Brazil's Vinicius Junior reacts after missing a penalty kick during a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer match against Venezuela at Monumental stadium in Maturin, Venezuela, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)