SEATTLE — Three people were injured in a stabbing in downtown Seattle on Tuesday morning.
The stabbing happened just after 10 a.m. outside Nordstrom near Sixth Avenue and Olive Way, according to Seattle police. One of the victims ran to a nearby store while the suspect fled the scene.
The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Christopher Morisette, stripped his clothing as he ran from officers, but officers found and arrested him near Eighth Avenue and Pine Street. Morisette's clothing and knife were recovered from the stabbing scene.
Court documents revealed that two of the victims are Nordstrom employees. It does not appear Morisette knew any of the men he stabbed.
A 75-year-old man was stabbed in the neck and a 77-year-old man was stabbed in the back, according to Seattle police.
The two victims were taken to Harborview Medical Center. One man was treated and released. The other man was upgraded from serious to satisfactory condition on Wednesday.
A third man, believed to be in his late 50s, was stabbed in the forearm. He was treated at the scene and declined to be taken to the hospital.
Sixth Avenue was closed for about an hour while police investigated.
On Wednesday, Morisette was charged with one count of first degree assault and two counts of second degree assault. He is being held on a $750,000 bond.
According to James Sido of the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA), "Crimes against people in the core of downtown jumped by 43 percent from 2016-18."
DSA released the following statement after Tuesday's random stabbing:
"On behalf of all who work, live in and visit downtown, we will continue to advocate for a safe and welcoming downtown. We thank the Mayor and SPD for their heightened attention to the issues surrounding repeat criminal activity and remain committed to working with them to make our streets safer for all."