KTTH OPINION

Rantz: Man ‘sucker punched’ in downtown Seattle as crime plagues city

May 30, 2023, 6:00 PM

seattle sucker punched...

In an unrelated incident, a worker sweeps the sidewalk as Seattle Police inspect the exterior of the department's East Precinct. (Photo by Jason Redmond/AFP via Getty Images)

(Photo by Jason Redmond/AFP via Getty Images)

A man was “sucker punched” in an unprovoked attack in downtown Seattle over Memorial Day weekend, according to police. It’s the latest violent incident plaguing downtown, as city leaders and activists pretend the crime crisis is getting better.

The attack occurred Sunday at 2:08 p.m. when an officer witnessed some kind of disturbance on the sidewalk of the 1500 block of 1st Avenue. When the officer arrived, he saw a man punch someone. A friend of the victim told the officer that the victim was “sucker punched.” A source told The Jason Rantz Show on KTTH that the victim is a tourist, a detail a Seattle Police Department spokesperson said they could not confirm “at this time.”

After the alleged attack, the unidentified suspect fled the scene.

“I pursued him on foot yelling ‘POLICE STOP!’ but he ignored me and continued eastbound on Pine past 2nd AV and then towards 3rd AV,” the officer wrote in an incident report obtained by The Jason Rantz Show on KTTH.

Soon, the suspect started to run away but the officer was able to eventually apprehend and arrest him.

Rantz: Many Seattle city council candidates won’t support police, drug laws

Witness details Seattle as victim ‘sucker punched’

The victim’s friend said the suspect was “smoking and appeared to have an open beer in his hand” when he approached them on the sidewalk as they were having a conversation. Unprovoked, the friend said the suspect “burnt [the victim] with a cigarette.”

The victim and friend walked away from the suspect, but they were followed, according to the police report. The suspect then, “without warning proceeded to punch” the victim in the back of the head. The victim fell “headfirst on the ground.” At that point, the friend said the suspect threatened to continue the assault, claiming, “I can take both of you.” That’s when the friend said the suspect “suddenly turned around and with a right closed fist, ‘sucker punched'” the victim in the face. The victim fell backwards onto the concrete sidewalk, “causing him to bleed profusely from the back of his head,” according to the police report.

The redacted police report says the victim was transported to Harborview Medical Center for “advanced lifesaving measures.” The suspect was arrested for investigation of assault 2 and malicious mischief.

Rantz: Seattle partners admit funding fentanyl pipes over treatment

All is well?

Seattle politicians and activists pretend Seattle is making a comeback.

Buoyed by a U.S. Census report in a local newspaper indicating the city is the fastest growing in the nation (amongst large cities), the media is playing along. Some cherry-picked data, comparing today’s crime to record-highs in 2020-2022 without noting we’re still much higher than where we were pre-COVID. Others simply pretend the city is thriving, ignoring the negative stories to pretend the crime crisis is an invention of conservative media.

Seattle continues to see significant violent crime. At 28 suspected homicides so far this year, we’re on pace to exceed last year’s 52 and 2020’s 26-year-high of 53. Businesses continue to complain about frequent break-ins and other incidents of vandalism. On this very weekend, there were shootings across the region, including a murder and a teenager shot and injured in two separate incidents in West Seattle. And rather than give treatment to addicts, who are dying in record numbers, the city is paying to hand out needles and pipes. But people are moving to Seattle to work in tech, so I guess we’re thriving.

But if this is what it means to thrive, what does it mean when progressives admit there’s a crisis?

Listen to the Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast. Follow @JasonRantz on TwitterInstagram, and Facebook. Check back frequently for more news and analysis.

Jason Rantz on AM 770 KTTH
  • listen to jason rantzTune in to AM 770 KTTH weekdays at 3-7pm toThe Jason Rantz Show.

Jason Rantz Show

KTTH Opinion

Image: The Stevens County Sheriff's Office says it recently received an odd call from a Sasquatch h...

Jason Rantz

Rantz: Sheriff’s office asked legality of hunting Sasquatch in Stevens County

A Sasquatch hunter had an interesting question for the Stevens County sheriff. Is it legal to hunt Sasquatch?

7 hours ago

...

MyNorthwest Video

Video: Double Shots: Do you wait for the crosswalk when the light is red?

Nothing brings Jason more joy than doing this one thing at crosswalks. That is crossing the crosswalk with no cars, and the light says, “Don’t walk.” It’s even better if people are standing there. Enjoy another Double Shot. Listen to The Jason Rantz Show weekdays from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. on AM 770 KTTH […]

7 hours ago

Image: Children bike past Wilson Elementary in Spokane....

Jason Rantz

Rantz: ‘Racist’ Spokane elementary school’s ‘slaves and hobos’ ignites controversy

After a teacher told students they could dress as "slaves and hobos" for an event, the Spokane NAACP cried foul.

1 day ago

...

MyNorthwest Video

Video: Double Shots: Stop doing this ONE thing on LinkedIn. Here’s another Double Shot.

Jason has been spending more time on LinkedIn. He really enjoys the feature that shows people have viewed your profile. Jake and Jason think it’s a cool feature, but it’s also creepy. Listen to The Jason Rantz Show weekdays from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. on AM 770 KTTH or on-demand wherever you listen to […]

1 day ago

...

MyNorthwest Video

Video: Double Shot: How Does the Internet Work?

Jake Skorheim doesn’t understand how the interwebs works. What he asked Jason Rantz to do will have you scratching your head here a Double Shot. Listen to The Jason Rantz Show weekdays from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. on AM 770 KTTH or on-demand wherever you listen to podcast. Listen to KIRO Nights with Jake […]

2 days ago

permanent supportive housing...

Jason Rantz

Rantz: You’re being lied to about permanent supportive housing in Redmond

Redmond residents rightly push back against permanent supportive housing as a solution for the homeless, as Seattle media get in the way.

2 days ago

Rantz: Man ‘sucker punched’ in downtown Seattle as crime plagues city