Northshore educator seriously injured in possible hate crime attack
Mar 4, 2021, 1:00 PM | Updated: 1:19 pm
The Northshore School District's administrative center. (Photo courtesy of Northshore School District)
(Photo courtesy of Northshore School District)
The Northshore School District is reeling after a savage attack on one of its teachers.
According to Seattle police, Noriko Nasu and her boyfriend were walking through the Chinatown-International District on Thursday, Feb. 25, when a random man approached them.
Nasu told police the man carried a rock inside a sock and used it as a nunchuck, leading to devastating results.
In a Facebook post, Nasu said she suffered from extensive fractures to her face and teeth, causing her to be treated at Harborview Medical Center.
On March 4, Seattle police reported that officers have arrested a 41-year-old man for the assault in the Chinatown-International District.
Update: Officers have arrested a 41-year-old man for a 2/25 assault in the Chinatown-International District. https://t.co/eSieLOE6F9
— Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) March 4, 2021
While the exact motivation for this random beating is still unclear, Nasu’s co-workers are convinced this attack happened because she is Asian.
“In this case, it’s gotten very close to home. It’s one of our staff,” said Northshore Superintendent Michelle Reid.
For several years, Nasu has taught Japanese at Inglemoor High School.
If this case is determined to be a hate crime, Nasu would be the latest victim in an attack against Asians.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office stated it filed charges in 59 hate crime cases in 2020, up from 39 in 2019. In 2021, there have been seven cases so far.
Two of those seven targeted people identified as Asian or Pacific Islander.
Officials blame a combination of factors for the increase, including an actual increase in incidents of hate and more reporting.
As a result, Northshore administrators said it’s up to everyone to prevent these types of attacks from happening.
“Essentially, if you see something or hear something, it’s incumbent on all of us to say something,” Reid said.
KIRO 7 TV reached out to Nasu for an interview, but hasn’t heard back from her yet. Northshore educators added that she is having trouble speaking following the attack.
Written by Ryan Simms, KIRO 7 News
