FEDERAL WAY, Wash. — The man accused of stabbing his former teacher was charged with first-degree assault by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office on Thursday.
The suspect, identified as Tyler Lawler, is currently in jail being held on $100,000 bail.
Police said Lawler attacked a teacher at Holy Innocents School of the Northwest on 298th Street on Sept. 18.
A witness was speaking with the victim in a room at the Catholic school when the suspect walked up the stairs. The witness said Lawler looked “furious” and had “wide eyes,” according to court documents.
The suspect then walked up to the victim and appeared to start wrestling with him, the witness said. The witness reported that Lawler was swinging his arms repeatedly.
The witness then realized that Lawler had a knife. The witness and another man pulled Lawler off the victim, after which he ran away.
The witness was checking on the victim when he realized the knife blade was sticking out of the victim’s back, according to court documents.
The victim also had injuries between his right eye and ear and on his left forearm. He required a total of 13 stitches at a nearby hospital. The victim told police he believed Lawler was “trying to kill him,” and that the suspect had been making threats toward him recently.
On Tuesday, an employee at a VA hospital in Seattle recognized the 32-year-old suspect and called police, according to Federal Way police. The Seattle Police Department then assisted with the arrest.
Lawler invoked his Miranda rights and did not speak with police after he was arrested.