Tacoma police search for suspect as stabbing victim tells her story
Feb 21, 2024, 5:01 PM | Updated: Feb 22, 2024, 11:31 am
Police detectives have arrested a suspect connected to the stabbing of a woman in Point Defiance Park. The Tacoma Police Department released this sketch of the subject. (Image courtesy of the Tacoma Police Department)
(Image courtesy of the Tacoma Police Department)
A Pierce County woman who was nearly stabbed to death in Tacoma’s Point Defiance Park is telling her story of a vicious attack and fight for her life.
It happened on February 10 in the Owen Beach area of the park.
Police have asked that we call her “Jane” to protect her privacy and her safety.
Jane was walking alone in the park, as usual, when a man walked up from behind but wouldn’t pass her. Then came the knife attack.
“Once I turned my back to him and took several steps, I heard even faster footsteps and felt the first blow to my head. I immediately started screaming for help, that I was being attacked. As blow after blow struck my head, back of my neck and shoulders. My eyes were clouded by the blood running down my face, as I tried to fight back and run,” Jane said.
She was stabbed multiple times and suffered multiple skull fractures. She required surgery and dozens of staples to close her wounds.
“I begged him to let me go, that I could give him money, that I would give him anything he wanted if I could live. That’s when he made it verbally explicit that his intent was to kill me,” Jane said.
A woman who went by the name “Jane” gave a press conference Wednesday after sustaining major injuries during a stabbing in Tacoma on Feb. 10. (Image courtesy of KIRO 7)
Tacoma Police, with the help of a sketch artist from the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, developed a sketch of the suspect. They are asking anyone who recognizes the suspect to call 911.
Other Tacoma incidents: Point Defiance Park will close early, increase security this week due to shootings
“Releasing the sketch has provided numerous leads for us to follow. We have a variety of people whose names have been provided to us and we’re actively researching those people to identify and potentially eliminate them,” Tacoma PD Detective Jennifer Quilio said.
Janes also thanked park-goers who came to her aid and provided care that police said saved her life. One woman fought with the man in spite of him being armed with a knife.
“She saw he had a knife, knew it was risky, and still intervened. Later, she told me that she would kick a hundred guys in the head to save my life,” Jane said.
James Lynch covers crime for KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of James’ stories here. Follow James on X, formerly known as Twitter, or email him here.
