Prosecutors file attempted murder charge in downtown Seattle hammer attack
Sep 3, 2026, 1:41 PM | Updated: 1:42 pm
Bey Mateen Muhammed, 23, is accused of attacking a man outside a hotel in downtown Seattle. (Photos courtesy of the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office)
(Photos courtesy of the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office)
King County prosecutors have charged Bey Mateen Muhammed, 23, with attempted murder in a hammer attack outside a downtown Seattle hotel, a case they said stands out for its suddenness and brutality.
The assault happened May 4. The victim, George Miller, was hunched over near the hotel entrance when Muhammed walked by, stopped, and pulled a hammer from his backpack before striking Miller multiple times, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (KCPAO).
KCPAO Spokesperson Casey McNerthney said investigators and prosecutors reviewed video and witness accounts describing what happened next.
“Police and prosecutors allege the defendant continued to strike the victim with the hammer as he lay motionless on the ground,” McNerthney said. “It’s tragic to see a victim hurt in this way.”
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Police investigate hammer attack for months
Seattle police spent months investigating before forwarding the case to prosecutors on Aug. 31. Detectives worked to collect evidence and build what they believed would be a strong case before referring it for charging.
“There was an ongoing police investigation that was referred to us on the 31st of August,” McNerthney said. “Police investigators were working to make sure they had a case they thought would hold up in court. We reviewed it independently and decided this was an attempted murder case we could bring to court.”
The case is filed in King County Superior Court. Muhammed remains in custody as the case moves toward its next hearing in the coming days and into standard pretrial proceedings, including additional court dates where attorneys will argue motions and set a schedule toward trial.
Prosecutors say the attempted murder charge reflects the seriousness of the alleged conduct and the apparent vulnerability of the victim at the time of the attack.
If Muhammed is convicted, sentencing will be determined under Washington’s guidelines and his criminal history. There is also a deadly weapon enhancement for the hammer used in the attack. That could add additional time to his sentence.
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